


Recipe for Disaster

by AvidVice



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:29:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 63,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23359288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvidVice/pseuds/AvidVice
Summary: The Inquisitor's emotional state has been unstable (to say the least) since her return from stopping Corypheus's attempt to dismantle Orlais's Empire.  The advisers hope she will be ready in time to continue their course to Adamant Fortress but the sudden visit of the Inquisitor's older sister produced serious doubts. Meanwhile Trevelyan's unpredictable mood and desperation to put aside her past resentments eventually grabbed Morrigan's attention, her latest ally. Comical shenanigans ensue.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Leliana (Dragon Age), female inquisitor/ morrigan
Comments: 16
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First off, let me say that this is my first ever fan fiction to post online. I usually write fan fiction for myself on paper. Since I have been cooped up at home, practicing social distancing that's sometimes too much to handle even for the introvert that I am, I decided to dive into my collection of writings and throw caution to the wind. Why not ?  
> This is the first story I decided to post online; it's short (well, short compared to my other stories) and I found the concept hilarious.  
> This piece has graphic language, sexual themes, violence, etc.  
> Prepare for my nonsense.  
> -AvidAvie (avie1821@aim.com)

  
It was another day at Skyhold, normally it would begin with the morning briefingin the War Room but the events at the Winter's Palace was still fresh. Securing Empress Celene's legacy was no small feat due to the unexpected conspiracy of her cousin's betrayal, the Inquisitor resorted to post-pone business as usual for a few days since her return to Skyhold.

She had slept-in until noon and drank herself sick until evening. Everyone who knew her personally realized she was very taxed from her political dealings in Orlais . Though she miraculously succeeded in saving the Kingdom and earned the Empire's support, she acted as though she had suffered a major defeat. 

The Advisers lingered in the Main Hall, hoping to catch her leaving her chambers but she hasn't made an appearance yet. Varric was the first to notice their intentions and went to their table which was dressed in platters of cheeses and meats with a few bottles of Antivan wine.

"Can't you guys leave her alone for awhile longer ? The shit at Orlais made her so mad that she tore apart every practice dummy in the yard like a raving psycho yesterday. Cassandra's still moping about having nothing to hit." He said.

"We know the Inquisitor requires rest but this matter can't wait." Josephine said with remorse.

"What ? With the Grey Wardens ? She'll get to that eventually." Varric snorted.

"Actually-it's something more personal." Commander Cullen said.  


Just as he said that, Inquisitor Trevelyan came out of her chambers like a weary ghost. Her clothes were wrinkled and her every slow and clumsy step depicted how last night must had went. She held a damp folded cloth to her forehead as she she spotted her advisers leaping up from their table for her attention. Her bloodshot eyes squinted as her chapped lips straightene into a tighter frown of disappointment. She sighed and went to them without having any other choice.  
  
What use to be ice-blue orbs for eyes were hollow reflections of exhaustion and impatience. She had been drinking for three days straight-which, wasn't out of the ordinary for the Inquisitor-but she drank not out of cheer but from anguish, which can be dangerous for a woman of her valor.  


She looked at her advisers, clearly demonstrating that she didn't have her usual tolerance to listen to their prattle. Now that he had a good look at her, she was wearing the same clothes she had on yesterday...at least it wasn't covered in her vomit like last time.

"Unless Corypesus is outside this very moment, I am not in the mood for bickering today." She said hoarsely. She smelled like stale whiskey.

"I do apologize, my Lady, but this couldn't wait and it concerns you. Else, I would had written it off until next week. It is...an unusual circumstance." The Ambassador said apologetically, nervous of what was expected to be another unforgiving mood.

"EVERYTHING concerns me." Lady Trevelyan said flatly, "What is it ? Demons ? Another rift ? Don't tell me it has something to do with a fuckin' noble dispute or else I leap off my balcony again."

"How you survived that jump still eludes our healers but I wouldn't recommend repeating it, Inquisitor." Cullen said with a worried look.

"My Lady, we received an unexpected visitor yesterday. We had tried to tell you but you were already..erm..preoccupied." Josephine continued, hoping to move things along faster. Preoccupied was a polite term for "passed out" in the tavern with biscuit and gravy muck coating one's hair, Varric thought with amusement. Iron Bull had to carry her sorry self to her chambers, causing a stir to any of the nobles in the Hall that witnessed it. Josephine probably made up some story that the Inquisitor tired herself from training. 

"My, what a scandalous revelation ! Showing up without an invitation !" The Inquisitor sneered sarcastically, "Are you serious ?"

"She is YOUR sister. Lady Emilia Trevelyan. She arrived very eager to speak with you, my Lady."

Varric drew a breath, "Oh shit."

Lady Trevelyan slouched over the table as if she heard horrible news, "EMILIA ? Damn it !"

Josephine leered over at Leliana in confusion.

The Spymaster had an all-knowing look upon her face, "It's not common knowledge but the Trevelyan sisters have...disagreements."

"WHY didn't you tell me sooner ?" Josephine whispered back.

"We couldn't turn her away at the gates." Cullen said, "Imagine how that would look."

"She's probably here to bitch at me for some fuckin' party I failed to show up at..Or maybe she's simply here to mock me." The Inquisitor growled, "Where is she now ?"

"Presently in her lodgings. I am sure she will come to the Main Hall soon." Josephine answered. 

"Good. I have time !" With that, Trevelyan quickly grabbed a bottle of wine and a crust of bread, "I simply CAN'T deal with her today. She's worse than any noble at Orlais and if I have to put up with her blasted superior complex, I'll punch EVERYONE in the face  
including the clerics and children !" With the way she has been, they had reason to believe her threat was genuine. "Just tell her I'm busy with...Inquisitor-shit."

"You're going to hide from her all day ? Is she that bad ?"Josephine inquired.

"She is the oldest and father's heir to the Trevelyan fortune and power. And a pain in my ass. Too much to get into right now. I'm getting shit-faced, keep her distracted today. Inquisitor's orders."

"My Lady, are you..alright ?" Cullen asked.

"Never fuckin' better, " She mumbled and quickly sprinted as quickly as she could to the garden.

"I haven't seen her like this before," The Commander said, "I can understand sibling rivalry but.."

"She's still worked up from Orlais, that mess reminded her of the shit she had to deal with at home," Varric summarized, "Of all the craziness she's been through so far- to think handling Orlesian politics would be the thing to push her to the edge."

"The Game is not for everyone but she played it perfectly. We have gained the favor of Empress Celene and her allies." Josephine said, "Perhaps she requires more rest, I could reschedule a few meetings."

"She will need to be at her best when we take Adamant and that includes her mental state. I can have patrols of my men to hold down our territories and all of its current concerns for the time being." Cullen announced.

"I doubt there's anything here, besides her sister, that needs her immediate attention." Leliana said, "But I have concerns about her capacity to drink."

"She ALWAYS drinks." Varric said.

"But while she is upset...and with her nature to be..easily swayed..there's a chance she could get herself sick."

"Or insult our guests...she DID just threaten she was going to "punch" children a moment ago." Josephine added with concern.

"Right. I guess you have a point..wouldn't want to piss off any Nobles and they seem to be the culprit of her anger." Varric said, though he would pay gold to see her punch some snotty-nosed brat.

"I don't understand. Lady Emilia seemed reasonable and kind when I had spoken to her,"

"And you think that is how she treats her younger sister ? Please, Ruffles, siblings fight."

"According to my sources, there was disharmony with the Trevelyan sisters that lasted for years. " The Spymaster said, placing her arms neatly folded behind her back, "It partially had to do with succession, of course, but it had something to do with Lady  
Trevelyan's exploits as well."

Josephine took out her fan, " I heard that out of all of the Teyrn's children, she was the most...disagreeable one."

"So she opposed nobility at a young age, that is no surprise." Cullen shrugged, "I suppose the Trevelyans' embarrassment crossed many courts."

"To an extreme extent, if the rumors are true." Leliana said cryptically.

"Such as what, exactly ?" Josephine coaxed her for more information, fanning herself. "She was known to leave home for weeks at a time-disguising herself as a commoner when she frequented taverns and brothels. On more than one occasion, she caused fights with mercenaries and town drunks that escalated to such heights that public properties were damaged. One brawl ended in a tavern being on a fire with unconscious Crimson Oar men on the roof...wearing dresses. That incident still remains unexplainable."

Varric raised a brow, "For real ?"

"Oh my, that would cause tremendous damage to their House. But I didn't know about this. How did you ?"

The Spymaster smirked, "I am good at what I do. On record, there's nothing because Teyrn Trevelyan covered it up with his influence . To a few individuals close to the family, our Inquisitor had quite the rebellious nature in her youth. The meeting at the conclave was suppose to her first step to decelerate her behavior, her father had plans to make her join the Templar order afterwards but we all know how that turned out."

Cullen stiffened, "She was going to be a Templar ?"

"By force. The Teyrn had enough of her behavior and gave her an choice."

"To join the Order or to be stripped from her House ?" Varric asked.

"That seems likely but there may be something else. I doubt the Inquisitor would care if she were disowned outright. Based on her contempt for politics, she would welcome it. I haven't been able to find out the details of the arrangement. Not that it matters NOW but I find myself curious."

"Is it right to pry into the Inquisitor's personal life ?" Cullen asked.

"I do what I must to ensure what information I find on her can NEVER be used against her. From what I had gathered, much would tarnish her reputation with her allies and that could affect her pursuits to stop Corypheus. No one will respect a leader with a colorful   
history."

"Right. I'm sure you have the best intentions, Spymaster, " Varric said sarcastically.

The Red-head disregarded the remark and examined the Great Hall whose guests littered the tables, "Now that I think about it, this could be an opportunity to learn more about the Inquisitor."

Josephine read her mind and beamed with content, " I could arrange to have tea with Lady Emilia..we could distract her by giving a formal introduction to Skyhold..perhaps give her a tour, and talk about our proceedings to a modest degree.."

"And meanwhile extract what we can from her- I'm certain Lady Emilia is quite partial to gossip." Leliana decreed.

Varric shook his head, "Really ? You're gonna kiss the Inquisitor's sister's ass to dig up more dirt on her ?"

"Strictly for the Inquisition's benefit. Lady Trevelyan cannot be defeated by any possible slander..and I suspect there's something very capable in doing so."

Cullen wiped his forehead, "I agree with Varric, this is very inappropriate. There's a reason why the Inquisitor doesn't talk about her past- to keep it behind her. Everyone has a right to be private. What matters now is defeating Corypheus."

Josephine straightened in alert- grabbing everyone's attention to their left. A woman wearing an expensive white and black dress with long sleeves appeared in the Hall. In terms of fashion, Varric detected Orlesian influence for it practically issued, "pretencious. As she came closer, she spotted Josephine, looking very similiar to the Inquisitor.. only more reserved as if she held secrets and power with her every gesture.

"Lady Montiliyet," the woman spoke in greeting.

"Lady Trevelyan, good afternoon. I trust your lodgings are to your liking," Josephine said.

"Quite so. You are too kind." She looked at Cullen with a slight interest, "You must be Commander Cullen. I have heard impressive commendations of your exploits."

Leliana watched as Cullen bowed in kind, "My Lady, it is a pleasure."

"And you must be Leliana. The Nightingale," Lady Emilia said as she turned to the mention, "You also have an impressive background. It is an honor to meet the left hand of the Divine."

She did seem civil on the surface at least. But what was she doing here ?

"Lady Emilia, it's quite a spectacle that another Trevelyan graces these halls. You must be very proud of Adrienne." The Spymaster stated, beginning her Game of manipulative tactics.

"It is humbling to know she is destined for great things. Has my dear sister risen yet ? Her routine has not changed, even while the world's fragility remains ever constant." Her lisp of obvious resentment laced between her words like moss.

"You have just missed her, in fact. I am afraid the Inquisitor is very busy as of late, consulting with the alchemists-concerning useful poustices for.." Josephine drifted to Leliana for assistance.

"For burns and infections caused by Dreamer wraiths." The Spymaster finished, "She sends her regards and hopes to meet you at a later time."

"I see. I understand. Adrienne certainly has many matters to handle- it is refreshing to see her so...productive. Why, when she was younger-it would be a miracle if she managed to put on pants." Their venture seemed to be ripe for the picking. Leliana nodded at Josephine to confirm that their expedition will be fruitful. Lady Emilia remained poised like a perfectly sculpted statue, "Whatever shall I do in the meanwhile ?"

"Actually, Commander Cullen suggested to give you a proper tour of Skyhold. Afterwards,we could have tea and address any and all concerns you may have." Leliana said.

Cullen turned pale as Josephine nodded at him discreetly to concede to their whims. Varric held in his laughter as Lady Emilia smiled at him, "What a wonderful idea, Commander. I would very much appreciate it."

"I suppose I could arrange our cooks to assemble complimentary pastries that compliment the tea- it is a rare blend from Rivaine. Very exotic." The Ambassador said, "After the tour, we will have a proper luncheon."

"Thank you, Commander," Leliana said with a hidden smirk, " And ensure Lady Emilia's comfort. She IS the sister of the Inquisitor, after all. No pressure."

Cullen's forehead wrinkled in angst, caught into their web helplessly.

"He is a gentleman, " Lady Emilia stated as she grabbed his arm with a smile, "Shall we depart, Ser ? I wish to examine the battlements, they are quite a sight to see."

"I..o-of course, my Lady," he said with effort as he led her down the Main Hall to the opened doors.

Varric laughed, "He looked as though he was going to shit himself."

"That was too easy." Leliana said, "I have to say, Cullen is proving to be very useful when it comes to appeasing noblewomen."

"Must be the hair."

Josephine looked concerned, "Though I wonder to what effect..Lady Emilia's reputation in the Free Marches is known to be assertive and intelligent. She would not fall for a deliberate ploy for distractions."

"On the contrary, I think she knows perfectly well what our intentions are or else she would not had accepted the rouse. She is playing along for now." Leliana said; she lingered in her pause, "We are fortunate she wishes to cooperate-perhaps relations with her sister are just as fragile as I assume."

"Meaning what exactly ?" Josephine asked. 

Varric pondered for a moment, "She came here unannounced , all the way from Ostwick. She probably figured the Inquisition wouldn't let her come if she had requested it. And did you see how quickly the Inquisitor left ? Whatever happened between them still has fresh wounds."

"Family squabbles." The Spymaster said, "I suspect Lady Emilia came for some kind of olive branch-now that her sister has considerable power. Perhaps she simply wishes to share that success as most of the Trevelyan cousins had done..or maybe it's sincere."

"Right. Have fun with that mystery. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor is still on edge. Maybe I'll have a chat with the others, you know, to keep an eye on her-keep her from jumping off high perches." Varric mumbled, guessing that would likely be the conclusion of today. 

"That is awfully supportive, Varric," Josephine mused.

"Don't sound so shocked."

"I doubt she would cause trouble in the current mood she's in. She knows the importance of maintaining an ardent presence as leader of the Inquisition." Josephine said with less confidence as she said it.

"That's..unclear. I really haven't seen her in such a state before." Leliana said.

"Makes her more human." Varric shrugged, "That's a good thing, right ?"


	2. Chapter 2

Morrigan spotted the Inquisitor, a Noble-blooded woman that had the Orlesian court dizzy with idle-chatter for years to come. The sole key figure to defeating an ancient Magister and sealing the breach, was curiously lurking in the shadows- skillfully evading the few Chantry sisters that chatted near the garden of elfroot and blood locusts. They didn't notice her- even though she looked as though she had rolled down a hill.

Normally, Morrigan would dismiss the minor occurrence- for she did not linger in petty interests of gossip and anti-climatic business of people; that, of which was Orlais's primary past-time. However, Inquisitor Trevelyan looked most fickled as she navigated around the courtyard's garden to escape any attention. She held a bottle of wine and what looked like a portion of bread held into her mouth - which was odd, for her other hand appeared completely unburdened. Her long dark hair was messily dangling past her shoulders, unkempt- and she seemed exhausted as well as angry. Someone had a difficult night..

Though Morrigan could scarcely imagine why-she had the gratitude of Orlais and from little exchange they had- Trevelyan seemed overly confident and hopeful with a curious humor ill-suited for her namesake-but nonetheless, resembled at least half of the stories -nurturing her prestige. Of course, they were in Orlais and she proved to everyone that she knew how to play "the Game," even impressing Celene (whom was the master of it)-perhaps her show at the Winter Palace merely proved she could be a good actress. Mystery still shrouded the Lady Inquisitor and this afternoon, Morrigan was unexpectedly educated.  
  
The Witch remained in the gazebo, watching as the woman stopped and hastily chewed on the bread chunk in her mouth as if she were a Chastin'd. The crumbs flickered from her lips as she chewed nosily with her mouth open. She tossed the remainder of her nourishment over her shoulder without finishing it and chugged several sips from the wine bottle. It appeared she was in a hurry- but for what, she wondered. 

Suddenly, the Inquisitor's eyes squinted in temporary discomfort and silently spat out the wine she ingested against the castle's walls in disgust. She shook her head in detestation at the beverage in disappointment as she wiped the red liquid dripping down from her chin with her long white wrinkled sleeve. Morrigan raised an eyebrow-amused though intrigued a woman of her background suffered the manners of a tavern wrench.

Still appearing wholesomely bitter about something polluting her mind- the Inquisitor proceeded to look both ways before approaching a stone statue of Andraste. No one was around it as there were only three of the Chantry biddies near the entrance to the garden.Morrigan almost felt disappointment as the woman stared at the statue in some attempt for prayer.. but then she removed the statue's head (apparently, the appendage was removable) soundlessly. The Witch stirred at the curious sight, entertained by the proposed Herald of Andraste removing a brown bottle from within. Either she was very stealthy or she plainly didn't care who saw her commit such monstrosity to a symbol of Andrastian faith. Lady Trevelyan inspected her new bottle with satisfaction and was about to depart with her prize until she spotted the discarded bottle of wine she had arrived with prior. She must had thought she needed to find a better place for it rather than in the garden that was suppose to represent a safe haven for her followers' religious contemplations. OR maybe she realized she had to discard the evidence more responsibly as it would seem distasteful to be seen leaving manners of alcohol lying around HER fortress. 

Morrigan folded her arms with her curiosity rising every higher. After what felt like an excessive pause, the Inquisitor finally picked up the rejected wine and placed it methodically into the statue's hands that were held out to depict the posture's distinction of praying to the Maker above it. She stepped back to inspect her handiwork without a change in her expression. Satisfied, she lifted her brown bottle (of something most potent, she suspected) to it as if she were proposing a toast during dinner. Morrigan held back her impulsive need to chuckle, pleasantly surprised a woman that so many revered as "holy" had the audacity to slander a pillar of the faith so openly. This better illustrated her persona; perhaps she wasn't the spoiled high-born with pointless faith that so many presumed her to be. 

At first hindrance, when word spread of the survivor of the explosion of the Conclave through Orlais's court, Morrigan assumed the "Herald" had to be some plucky zealot with unusual karma. After more news of her success grew, so did her doubts. Not everyone was exactly what they portray themselves to be and that included over- privledged brats ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Trevelyan lowered her head and continued to scan her surroundings as if she were looking for something in particular. She stared at the few doors to her right where one of them led to a small prayer room with yet another statue of Andraste- while the other, Morrigan assumed, led to dusty storage rooms. She was looking for a place to hide. Most likely to escape her world of constant political nonsense and expectations. Morrigan could guess she hardly had time to herself- considering her role to save the world. As if she could blame her, solitude was a luxury even the most influential minds required; a withdraw from their woes to freshen the will to continue. Though, Morrigan doubted her intentions were for ideal self-reflection-with evidence of her bottled bounty. 

Before she could decide her next course of action, Morrigan was, again, illuminated by ANOTHER unexpected visitor-whom juste entered the gardens from the castle's Main Hall. She instinctively hid further behind one of the pillars of the gazebo for better anonymity for she recognized the visitor from the Winter Palace. One of the consorts Trevelyan had takened with her; the Qunari. She knew little other than he was a favorited mercenary among the Orlesian noblewomen and he was rumored to be a Ben-Hasserath- a spy. She wondered if that remained to be fact for she had never seen a Qunari so immersed in the ways of the Qun-to be ardently following a self-proclaimed beacon of another faith. Perhaps he was conflicted or recanted his traditionalism.

Morrigan watched as the horned giant unintentionally frightened the chantry sisters as he passed them on his way to the Inquisitor. Strange that he sought out his superior..perhaps they were bonded by their sharing of the battlefield. She did bring him with her to Orlais; therefore conveying her trust in him. It told the Witch the woman was very relaxed when it came to manners of diversity. Afterall, she recruited the rebel mages- a move most critically judged by the remaining clerics of the Chantry. The Qunari joined Trevelyan's side and inspected the statue's recent addition. She suspected he was saying something but could not discern what for she was too far away. The Chantry sisters at the entrance soon left, intimidated by the oddity that disrupted their mindless bickering. It was just the three of them now. Morrigan remained hidden, doubting they had detected her presence at all. 

The Qunari laughed heartily at the statue and slapped the Inquisitor's back in approval. They exchanged a few inaudible words and then walked side by side closer to the gazebo. The Witch thought to shape-shift into a bird to better conceal herself but decided against it-they seemed too preoccupied to notice their audience.  
  
"But how are you REALLY doing ? The shit in Orlais really got to you." He said with a genuine concern. 

"Bull, it was a nightmare. All that nonsense reminded me of the shit back at home." Lady Trevelyan said with the charm of a sailor. 

"I hear you. I remember you mentioned the crap you dealt with when you were still a Noble asshole." The Qunari said. He drank a few sips from the bottle that she handed to him.

"And IF that's not enough, my fuckin' pain in the ass sister is here !" She added.

"The one who sold you out ?" 

"None other. She may be here to bury the hatchet but she can go fuck herself."

And thus Trevelyan's deconstruction of the common tongue progressed.

"Shit. So is that what you're doing ? Hiding from her until she takes the hint ?"

"Indeed. But I don't know what to do with myself. I'm so ANGRY that I want to kill something. What would you do, Bull ?"

The Qunari grunted as if it were a trivial question, "There's an exercise that works for me. I have someone try to beat me with a stick and channel the pain to soothe the tension away. It calms me down." No doubt a rather primitive manner in which he was accustomed to.

The Inquisitor laughed, "Really ?" She paused and considered the option, "Hell, I'll try anything once. Care to spar ?"

The notion was puzzling to Morrigan, surely the Qunari would be too strong and could consequently kill her.

"As long as you can keep up," He agreed.

"Fuck you, you know I can ! Have you seen me fight ?" She said as he passed her back the bottle with a grin. They were obviously close enough to speak like foolish tavern mates.

It was a peculiar sight to behold, Tevelyan was a high-born-raised with every standard of etiquette (that she continues to avoid utilizing) and privileges...and the Qunari likely led a life of the opposite. Both bonded over their appetite in the senseless epilogue of committing harm. Either to a foe or to themselves. 

"Sadly, yeah. You kick ass, don't get me wrong, but you have a serious weakness...well..another weakness." He sneered at her knowingly, "Dual-weapon techniques are always impressive but you focus too much on striking your opponent-leaving you defenses easy to break through."

Morrigan had yet to witness the Inquisitor's skill-set for herself, having only heard of countless renditions of the battles that were witnessed by various soldiers that would entertain their guests with stories. Many claim the hero glided across the field as if she were a ghost and swung her blades so quickly that it appeared she weren't moving her arms at all. Exaggerations, surely..but Morrigan found herself intrigued to consider investigating the matter.

Trevelyan grunted, feigning that she was insulted, "My skills saved your fat ass on more than one occasion ! Where were your defenses then ?"

"How many times have I defended you while you charged at demon assholes like a madwoman ? " He laughed as he countered back, "Not that I don't approve. You fight like a proper vanguard."

Her anger subsided as she handed him back the bottle, " Wait..how many weaknesses do you think I have ?"

The Qunari chuckled and took a large swig , "Boss, I have been around you for months, I think I know a thing or two about your..shortcomings." He was baiting her, perhaps he had intended to help pull her out of the veil of animosity she was previously in. 

"Oh yeah ? Like what, smart-ass ?" She challenged. 

This was proving to be a most illuminating encounter, the Witch thought.

The Qunari wiped his chin with his arm, "For one, you hate anything with silk. You can't whistle to save your life. There hasn't been a single muffin in Skyhold you haven't violated."

Trevelyan pouted in protest, "Muffins are fuckin' delicious, Bull."

"It's the same as fruit-bread."

"It is NOT." She fired back; it was surely a debate they had before. "It tastes completely different."

"It's just shaped differently. It's made with the same damn ingredients !" He retaliated. He took another gulp and handed her the bottle. His expression turned serious, "You also have a weakness for spiders...and you're scared of the dark but not when the moon is out. Somehow you seem more in your element when we are away from civilization and more in the ass-end of nowhere. Which means you hate crowded places. I don't blame you. Sometimes all the crap with people and noise can make you tense...which I think is your problem NOW. Orlais got you too stimulated and you need to purge it out of your system." He paused a moment to examine their surroundings, "Oh. And you also have a HUGE weakness for Sarabas. That is painfully obvious." He grinned teasingly as Trevelyan spat out the liquor she tried to consume. Morrigan tried to deciper what he meant. She vaguely recalled the term before, but could not place it.

"I do not !" She slurred.

The Qunari laughed, "Bullshit, you DO ! You would do anything and I've seen the looks. It's too bad Red isn't Sarabas- she's been checking you out when you train."

Trevelyan squinted at him as if it were a ridiculous notion, "The Spymaster ? Really ?"

Morrigan rolled her eyes, the Bard had consistent tastes based on what little she was forced to know about her.

"Yeah. You haven't noticed ?"

"I didn't even know she liked women..or ...anybody for that matter."

"Too bad she doesn't shoot lightning from her hands eh ? She looks like someone that can keep up with you. Plus, she's a RED-head." He made a favorable grunt, "Red-heads.."

"Did she talk about me specifically ?"

"Not to me but I overheard her talking to Josephine that time they watched us wrestle after our return from the Exalted Plains."

"I don't remember."

"The time I dared you to fight in your small clothes, Boss."

The Witch felt the need to face-palm herself; what sort of idiocy was the Inquisitor normally capable of ? Publicity often hinders the reality of the truth. Why would her consorts permit such debauchery while chaos looms in every territory ?

"Oh !" Lady Trevelyan announced as if she had solved a cryptic puzzle in the catacombs of an ancient ruin, "They were watching ? How ? It was after dusk and most of the fight started in the tavern. I can't imagine either of those two in the Herald's Rest for any reason, they have their own supply of booze in their offices."

"Hm, why don't you ?"

"I would have a drinking problem if I went that far. Besides, I like the bar. People would miss my charms and dashing good looks." She said with bountiful confidence. The Qunari laughed.  
  
It was like listening to two young men at a blasted tourney. The Inquisitor paused and drew a sip from the bottle. Morrigan had seen her share of avid drinkers from Orlais's courts but the Inquisitor hardly drank to distinguish flavor or vintage. If someone were to replace a bottle of brandy with vinegar, she doubted she could tell the difference for she would hork it down without a second thought.

"What...did you hear them say about me ? I'm curious and terribly self-absorbed."

Morrigan's interest was waning but continued to listen.

The Qunari chuckled, "Fishing for compliments, are you ? They kept talking about your muscles, what do YOU think they would talk about. Women like muscles."

She had half a mind to leave.

"What ? But on another woman ?" The Inquisitor asked as she partially lifted her tunic shirt and inspected her clearly shaped muscles that contoured her abdomen.

Morrigan didn't even know such definition were possible for her gender...surely it was from the amounting activity she regularly endures from securing territories and closing rifts.

"Boss..if you're THAT naive, you need to get laid."

"BULL. There are more important issues to deal with. Like Corypheus." The Inquisitor snorted.

"OR that stupid book you found in the Hinterlands. Did you even find out what it is ?"

"YES. I have !" She said proudly as she withdrew a black leather book from inside her trousers. HOW she was able to fit it in there was a complete mystery to Morrigan as she inspected it; magic ebbed around it as a protected seal. "It's a journal of some sort. I think. It took me awhile to translate the elven language with what books I could find in the library. It's written by a mage."

Morrigan's intrigue returned to her as she inspected the book from her distance. 

The Qunari chuckled, "Why are you so invested in it ? Because it's written by a Sarabas ?"

Ah. So, "Sarabas" was a term for "mage."

"Well...no. Not exactly. It's very old and yet the book hardly seems aged at all- I think it's protected by magic. I haven't been able to get to the third page but what I could read so far is really interesting, I think the mage that wrote it lived during the time of King Calenhad. Isn't that crazy ? I mean, imagine what kind of history could be within these pages !"

Now the Qunari seemed to express boredom, "Uh-huh.."

"Bull, have you ever heard of a mage called, 'Flemeth?' "

The Witch held her breath as her limbs went numb from the astounding coincidence.

"Hm. No. You should ask Red to look into it, she has elves in her entourage that might know." The Qunari stirred.

Panic surged through Morrigan.

"HELL NO. She will probably find a way to ruin it. I'm just curious. You didn't tell anyone about this book, did you ?" She asked in concern.

"No, I didn't tell anyone about your weird obsession. You need better hobbies." The Inquisitor shrugged as she placed the book back into her pants. Morrigan found herself completely inclined to retrieve it. She didn't know Flemeth had more than one grimoire; she did live for centuries, however, so the possibility wasn't impossible but to had have TWO sources of her knowledge slip from her possession didn't seem like her mother at all. Be that as it may, she was presented with ANOTHER golden opportunity to obtain more of Flemeth's hidden secrets to her magic. She needed to get the book.

"Maybe kicking your ass will be a better one." Trevelyan changed the subject.

Her consort laughed and tossed the brown bottle aside, "You're on !" They departed back into the castle, leaving the garden to Morrigan in her lonesome.   
  
The Witch leaned against the pillar, quickly contemplating how she could retrieve the grimoire as quickly as possible before the Inquisitor resorts to asking the Bard for help. Leliana would never part with it, knowing the value of it. If she were as clever as she portrays herself to be among her esteem colleagues, she would use it against Morrigan.   
  
She wondered what was in it..perhaps more tomes that could supplement her talents, or, it could provide more clues about Flemeth's source of power. The more she could learn, the better her odds of survival will be against that fiend. It seemed she had limited time to retrieve it before someone who knows about Flemeth catches on; the discovery will eventually lead to Morrigan's correlation. Thankfully, Inquisitor Trevelyan has not had a clue yet.  
  
How could she get it ? And WHO, in their right mind, would carry a book like that ? Morrigan knew she had to get it without jeopardizing her newly appointed position in Skyhold. She desired to understand what kind of magic had created the Breach, sensing there was more to it than what was generally believed; she wanted to know HOW someone who wasn't a mage could wield power to seal rifts into the fade. Skyhold's unity and abundant resources could tell her much and she DID have plans to begin her inquiry since her arrival a few days ago..but THIS revelation must be taken care of first. 

She vaguely conversed with Trevelyan but understood she put trust in her, a stranger, to aid their cause. How could she get the grimoire without harming her fragile welcome ?

Certainly, she will have to appeal to the Inquisitor enough for her to confide in her about the book. Perhaps Morrigan could remind her, discreetly, how she has extensive knowledge of the arcane arts and its history...and was sufficient in multiple languages so she may be inspired to ask for her help. She wondered if the high-born were foolish enough to overlook her hidden agenda- she knew little of her-aside from the "educational" display in the garden.

The Witch tapped her fingers against the pillar, thinking over and over how desperate it was to get the book. She needed to retrieve it before the pestering Bard discovers its existence.

Morrigan reviewed her options and recalled the assumptions she made while eavesdropping a moment ago. Perhaps there was something she could use.It was clear the Inquisitor was unstable, for one; stressed and taxed from saving the Empire from Corypheus's grasp. She could use that to her advantage. Trevelyan didn't seem to appreciate politics and clamored for isolation for comfort; perhaps that was enough knowledge to establish idle prattle to feign common ground.

What else ? She had a taste for magic or so illustrated by the Qunari's teasing. That would be profitable to use- she had a wealth of knowledge that could capture her intrigue easily; it would be similar to entertaining Empress Celene and her peckish appetite for mundane magic tricks. Though...it didn't seem Trevelyan shared the interest from an academic standpoint..

Morrigan drew a breath as the answer presented itself, "No.."

The quickest way to get the book was to have her vulnerable. And it was mentioned she found women appeasing..

She felt uneasy of the prospect of seducing such an icon of extensive political power. Additionally, she was a woman..of all the times Morrigan utilized her feminine mystique to get what she wanted..she never attempted it on anyone of the same gender. Men were easily manipulated..but a woman had intuition far sharper. It seemed it would be more difficult and that's to say if she were capable to handle such a feat. She never had the desire to flirt with women nor was equipped to handle forcing the task..

But the grimoire..she needed it. The more she thought about it, the more the option was obtainable. The Inquisitor was in a reckless state and she was seeking ways to purge her tension. A few gestures and some sly wording, Morrigan was certain she could acquire her full attention..causing her protection over the book to waiver. 

She IS a mage and a woman with beauty enough to turn the heads of Orlais's courts (if the many times she had been ogled at was evident enough); but she had no idea how to beckon a woman. The best she COULD do was to assume Trevelyan would be naive enough to fall for her typical methods of seduction as any unsuspecting man would. It shouldn't be too difficult, given her fragile condition and she may not get another opportunity.

Morrigan inspected her clothes, the same attire she had constructed in the Wilds;it hardly left anything to the imagination and could earn the Inquisitor's baser appetite. The last they saw of each other was at the Winter Palace where she wore that ridiculous dress that covered much of her body. She wondered if Trevelyan would find her attractive enough... she didn't recall her ogling her like some of the brain-dead noblemen would. In fact, she was fairly respectful. Perhaps she was not simply her type ?

No. She needed to get the grimoire and that was all there was to it. Before she could convince herself otherwise, the Witch shape-shifted into a bird and flew off to find the Inquisitor-no doubt off to spar with her Qunari associate. If their ill-educated talk was any indication, they may be near the tavern.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup. I regret nothing. I imagine Morrigan lacks shame when it comes to gaining any kind of advantage in power.Can you see where this is going yet ? Also, in case you haven't noticed...my Inquisitor is a bit of a train wreck. -avidavie (avie1821@aim.com)


	3. Chapter 3

"Shit !" The Qunari swore as he ducked just in time- deflecting Trevelyan's unexpected maneuver of her twin-blades. He moved powerfully enough but her agility was as fierce-some as the stories had described. Curious.

Morrigan had seen well-seasoned duelists before; each would have their unique ability that made them stand apart from warriors- but she had never seen quite the methods the Inquisitor used.

She flowed like a breeze across the meadow-unnatural but refreshing. Her quickness was frightfully keen and precise that any outsider would suspect it to be magic. But no, this woman was merely well endowed with her craft. Surely she must had been trained at a young age but even so, to reach the sort of skill she conveyed would require decades of experience. Her age cannot be more than thirty winters by the depictions of her youth. Perhaps she was one of those that was passionate with her blades as if they were her extra limbs.

The Qunari roared as he charged at her with his shield. The Inquisitor simply jumped as if she had levitated by sheer will. She moved with notable velocity as her rage was expressed through her movements. The Witch sensed her dissatisfaction as she kicked her opponent in the back when she landed behind him. He fell forward with a loud grunt, breathless.

Morrigan could hardly believe a woman could outlast a creature his size for almost two hours. Both parties were bruised and stained with dirt. They had chosen to spar behind the tavern (to ensure they were close to something to drink, she suspected) and despite the impressive performance-hardly anyone stopped to watch. Perhaps the residents of Skyhold had grown accustomed to their antics which beg to question how often the two spent their free time for their own amusement.

Lady Trevelyan leapt on top of the Qunari after he flipped over on his back. She sharply buried her blades into the earth next to each side of his face and began punching him crudely in a rapid succession. The Qunari laughed after a few impacts and simply lifted her with his arms-rendering her helpless. He held her off the ground as he stood up. She growled like a wolf, struggling against his strength- the Witch expected the match to be finished though Trevelyan appeared to still have a lot of stamina left- likely influenced from her ever stagnent inner scorn.

"Damn, Boss, take it easy. Have some rest and we'll go again," The Qunari said as he set her back down. Morrigan felt the need to release an impatient sigh, she wasn't sure if she could endure another tireless sparring episode; not when she needed that book.

"I am still pissed, Bull." Trevelyan hissed, "It's bothersome ! I feel like I could take on a dragon with this much energy !"

He, then, inspected her sternly, "First of all, don't you DARE go dragon-hunting without me." She nodded with absolute agreement. "Second, you need more than a bunch of fancy back-flips to get this crap out of your system."

Trevelyan wiped the perspiration off of her face, "Drinking doesn't help like it use to."

"Drinking rarely solves problems. Just numbs them." He wiped his bloodied lip with his wrist then his eye darted at Morrigan in the background-realizing she had been watching them.

Good. Her time to act was now and she had enough of the idle banter between them.

She reminded herself to remain subtle through her cunning.

The Witch was leaning against the corner of the tavern-somewhat half-attempting to conceal herself from being spotted. Act disgustingly sheepish..The Qunari silently stared at his friend then back at her. She could tell he was coming up with the desired conclusion that she wanted. He grinned and mumbled something to the Inquisitor that made her turn around in surprise. Her immediate response of noting what the Witch was wearing was a stunned expression.

Morrigan felt her plan teeming with life- perhaps she didn't require such cunning after all; the fabled Herald of Andraste was ogling at her like a starved mabari in a butcher shop.

Lady Trevelyan quickly tried to recover her decorum as the Qunari patted her on the back with a chuckle and picked up his shield, "See you later, Boss, I need a drink."

The Inquisitor picked up her blades; when she bent over she slightly cringed from the soreness of her muscles. The Witch took immediate note of it and seized her invitation to approach.

"I heard wondrous tales of your skills. After witnessing but a fraction, I would say the stories serve you no justice." She said.

Trevelyan smiled. So, she responds to blatant flattery ? Good. "Thank you, Lady Morrigan. Have you settled in alright ?"

"If you are asking me if I have been mistreated for being a mage, then no. Tis' quite civil here. If it weren't so, I can defend myself adequately." She answered casually.

"Indeed. I picked that up from your work with the Venatori agents in the palace." Trevelyan said as she placed her blades into her pockets-once again fidgeting from her bodily aches.

"Do you require healing, Inquisitor ?" Morrigan asked, attempting to haste the pace of seizing her FULL attention. Meanwhile, now that she was at a closer proximity- the woman appeared to be taking more of an effort to NOT look at her features. Curious. Now she exercises restraint ?

"I..no. It's just some bruises. Bull hits hard but I move fast enough to muffle the full impact of his attacks." She said with a nervous chuckle, "He has his weaknesses."

As she CERTAINLY had her own, the Witch silently added. The woman was obviously getting more nervous the longer she stayed at a close distance.

"One must question whether he is training you or the reverse."

"I think you know the answer."

Morrigan wondered if she were sparring with him with restraints to teach him to move faster. Or perhaps it was her ego talking. The Inquisitor rubbed her lower back in discomfort which was her cue to move in. Without hesitance, the Witch of the Wilds asserted herself behind her. "Hold still." She commanded. Trevelyan did not protest as the unexpected assertiveness caught her intrigue. Morrigan came closer behind her and summoned a simple healing spell imprinting on her right palm. She noted her patient looked over her shoulder only briefly to be in awe of the purple aura that glowed around her hand.

Morrigan softly laid her palm upon her lower back.Trevelyan drew a quickened breath as if she had held it for far too long. She blinked as she realized the bulk of her aches and sores have diminished.

"You can actually heal. Fascinating." She said.

"Surely you have mages that can conduct the simplest healing spells. Tis' beneficial, I think."

"Uh..probably ? To be honest, I don't know. Vivienne, Dorian, and even Solas never showed the ability."

"Perhaps they only focus on the battlefield."

Morrigan knew with certainty Vivienne was well-rounded with all tiers of magic- even from one that was groomed in the Circle. Of all the mages she had met, she remained to be the only one to keep her distance from. Though she had more knowledge than the pampered socialite, her confidence and ties to Orlais's courts warranted her caution.

"It's a useful trade. Uh..T-thank you, Morrigan."

And now she was studdering ? Vulnerability. The exchange was proving to be a lot smoother than she predicted.Now Morrigan had to figure out how to lead the Inquisitor's attention towards accepting the concept of a "closer" acquaintanceship. The healing touch made her curious and the use of simple magic drew her in nicely.

"Tis no feat. It is why I am here, to use my talents however you deem useful." the Witch said softly. With that, she nonchalantly brushed off a smudge of dirt off of Trevelyan's shoulder. Might as will deliver another touch. "Make no mistake, Inquisitor, I take my role earnestly. Whatever you need, it ensures the security of your enevitable victory."

Lady Trevelyan drew another breath; their closeness prompted her to gaze upon her-suspicious though captivated. Morrigan thought this endeavor would be far more difficult. The Inquisitor captured her sharpening yellow eyes as if she were anaylzing her intention, discerning whether or not they shared the imaginary (and very much fabricated) pull. Now, this was a pivotal moment, one the Witch recognized from her previous ventures.

"That is quite the enthusiasm that I didn't expect from you." She said; confusion soaking her words.

"Perhaps you simply 'inspire' that enthusiasm." Morrigan remarked cryptically, trying to forge a subtle allurement of her feigned interest. Trevelyan didn't back away yet. It was as if they were in a duel of their own, fighting for control.

Morrigan felt hesitant at first, questioning herself whether she knew how to cement the vortex of seduction that she had created. She had to say or do something to confirm Trevelyan's suspicions, but what ? This would be trivial matter if she were a man but the fact that she was a woman made her doubt whether she COULD share a bed with the same gender.

"Truly ?" She baited for more emphasis.

"Watching you battle was most inspiring alone. You move with such tenacity and passion that it aroused my curiousity, which is no small accomplishment."

Tevelyan's raised an eyebrow, "Curiosity ?" She was taking the bait..

"They say a duelist is a master of steps of supreme calculation off and on the field. Their nature is beckoned with their driving force of unchallenged lust for dominance."Morrigan said with suggestive undertones, "And flexibility."

The Inquisitor reddened as the Witch pretended to inspect her frame with consideration. From what she understood from witnessing the sparring match, she must be partial to dominance. Either with an opponent on the battlefield or with a partner in the throws of passion. Morrigan guessed she would have to play her role more submissively.

"Is that what you think ?" Trevelyan mumbled, "One might conclude a mage has the same merits." Her tone became more suggestive.

"You have yet to see what I can do- I would not be forthwith about your judgement so soon."

"And now I am curious, Lady Morrigan." The placement was all there.

The corners of Morrigan's mouth faintly twisted into a smile, "Be cautious then," she said challengingly as she (quite at the last minute) decided to elusively withdraw one of her daggers from her pocket, "They say curiousity lures its victims into dangerous territory." She pretended to inspect the blade.

"A little danger is appetizing from time to time."

"Spoken from one with a considerable appetite." Morrigan retorted as she shrewdly returned the dagger back into her pocket- briefly sliding it against her thigh.

The Inquisitor was captured, " And..how is your appetite ?"

"Unaided."

Trevelyan came closer, "Do you require aid, Lady Morrigan ? I do require my allies to be at their best."

This was exceedingly easy, the Witch thought. If the Inquisitor wasn't so desperate to relinquish the turmoil that surged within her by resorting to the comfort of the flesh, she doubted her plan would work. At least the timing of such elements that can be manipulated was favorable. Morrigan wondered whether she was capable to the task- it was unknown territory but she couldn't imagine it being any more irksome. In fact, Trevelyan was more appeasing to the eye than most of the pathetic men she had coaxed into doing her bidding but it seemed so long ago since she subjected herself to flirting like this. But..she needed that book. It surely had clues to her bitch of a mother's power and she would be a fool to let it escape her.

"A generous offer. Tis' curious a mage does not discourage your charity."

"I don't find mages discouraging at all. It is quite the opposite."

"Magic intrigues you, does it ?"

"By a default, I suppose. It's particularly fascinating when it is wielded by a dark beauty such as yourself." Compliments ? Dark beauty ? At least she wasn't being compared to the grace of Andraste like some zealots had attempted.

"It is refreshing to hear you say so. If magic interests you, I will not protest to a few private illustrations that you may find interesting."

Invitation sent.

Lady Trevelyan looked needful to touch her but kept her arms pinned to her sides which was an attempt at self-control or for the fear of being in a public setting.

"That sounds pleasing. Meet me in my chambers at dark, I look forward to being educated."

"I'm sure it will be educational for us both."

The statement couldn't be any truer as Morrigan only felt dread rather than victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Inquisitor Trevelyan is very susceptible. Hell yes, I have the first three chapters down ! I will post more soon it's just the matter of transferring everything from paper to computer. Fun shit. -avidavie (avie1821@aim.com)


	4. Chapter 4

  
"Lady Emilia should be present any moment, "Josephine said rather intently as she finished the last touches of their table dressed in an expensive cloth with trays of delicious pastries and cheeses the kitchen staff had prepared.

Leliana smiled, knowing her friend thrived for the sort of thing. Much of the Inquisition's supporters were due to her brilliance of being a reputable hostess and a polished diplomat.

"It looks wonderful, Josie," The Spymaster assured her, knowing she will begin to fret over her precise layout.

One of her scouts entered Josephine's office with a disconcerting expression on his face. He whispered a few words to his superior and departed swiftly. 

Josephine watched in alarm as her old friend silently contemplated with a look of scorn. "What did he say, Leliana ?"

The Spymaster grimaced, "It appears the Inquisitor made a new...friend." She said it with a detestation that made her listener more concerned.

"Would you care to elaborate ?"

"My scouts spotted Lady Trevelyan consorting with Morrigan."

Josephine felt her spirits minimize, knowing full well of the brief history Leliana had with the apostate when they helped the Hero of Ferelden end the Fifth Blight. "I see. Perhaps it was a friendly chat." As if she could imagine Morrigan being capable

"Too friendly. Morrigan does not approach anyone without a purpose behind it."

Josephine caught her meaning, "You don't think.."

"I know her, Josephine. It seems they were spotted with an interesting exchange. I must find out what she's up to."

"Leliana, kindness before knives. I think Morrigan would be clever enough not to manipulate the Inquisitor in such a fashion- not when she was just recruited with Empress Celene's blessing, may I add."

"You don't know her like I do. I knew her willingness to join the Inquisition had a hidden agenda of some nature. Morrigan hardly seizes someone's attention unless there was something she wanted from them. The Inquisitor has power and countless resources she would find useful. She must be desperate to act so soon- and to encourage another woman's whims, no less. I underestimated the depths she could swim."

"Still, it's not sensible to start something while Lady Emilia is at court. " Josephine countered, "Give the Inquisitor some credit- I doubt she would fall for a devious ploy. If there is one at all."

"Did you not see her earlier ? She is in a vulnerable state. ANYONE could.." Leliana paused, "She may be the Herald and she had accomplished many things so far but that doesn't negate the fact that she can be manipulated."

"Do you think Morrigan would swoop that low ?"

"If there is something she wants badly enough. I am just not sure what it could be."

"Leliana, you are NOT going to leave me stranded."

"Why are you so nervous ? You have mingled with the nobility for years."

"This is the Inquisitor's sister and we still don't know why she's here." Josephine said, "I had thought that was your priority."

"Not anymore- not if Lady Trevelyan is suffering from Morrigan's plot."

"She's capable to defend herself in all matters- including manipulation. She had proved it at the Winter Palace."

"I am not so sure." Leliana said, glaring at the door, no doubt pondering countless of possibilities. 

"Please stay, Leliana, at least for awhile." The ambassador pleaded; she suspected her friend would otherwise devise something copious against Morrigan and the last thing they needed was to show any cracks into the Inquisition's infrastructure. It could be very well be nothing !

"I...suppose my scouts will keep the Inquisitor within their sights for now. If she is seen with Morrigan again, I may have to take action."

"Dare I ask what kind of action ?"

"The kind that involves a paralyzing poison," She answered grimly as she inspected the tea set with a darken refrain.

Josephine wasn't sure what to say, predicting a disaster.

___________

  
Inquisitor Trevelyan and Sera recently finished target practice at the horse stables with Blackwall. It was getting later in the afternoon and Trevelyan proactively sought discreet places to hide from her sister all over Skyhold. Unexpectedly, she found enjoyment out of shooting arrows at poorly painted bails of hay that depicted Corypheus. It was a fun little way to alleviate the tension she had been carrying since the shit-storm with securing Orlais's empire. After the bails of hay were punctured and shredded beyond reuse, Sera started gathering the arrows as the Inquisitor sighed and leaned against Blackwall's work table.

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Trevs ?" Sera asked, "You've been more mopey than Sol-ass lately and it's bleedin' time to get ov'er it."

"It's just the same shit," Trevelyan answered. 

"Shouldn't you be preparing for Adamant ?" Blackwall asked.

"I'll get to that..I just need to catch my breath after the business in Orlais."

"That place was...jus' wrong." Sera grimaced, "Noble pricks.." She paused, "No offense."

"I agree with you. That place reminded me of the crap back home. There was a time I did anything to stay away from my father's stupid parties. He would invite every asshole in the Free Marches."

"You're the least Noble-ly noble I ever met. What would you do ?"

"I would go hunting for weeks at a time. Dealing with bears and wolves was better than the ones at court.- with their boring stories and pretentious ass kissing." Trevelyan groaned, "Who gives a shit if you eat with wrong fork or someone is wearing the same outfit as you.."

"They're all tits and shits." Sera grunted in agreement, she then smiled mischievously, "That's why I did a prank on some prissy noble-skirt that just got here. Showin' up like she's entitled to everything."

Trevelyan felt her anxiety heightened, " The one that arrived yesterday ?"

Sera piled the arrows onto Blackwall's table and turned to her in confusion, "Yeah. Why ? She off-limits or somethin' ?"

"Don't tell me you put bees in her lodgings.." The Inquisitor said sharply as panic consumed her, "She's allergic to bees !"

"Uh..maybe.." Sera mumbled, realizing the error she made.

"Damn it, Sera ! We need to get them out of there ! How long ago did you plant them ?" Trevelyan asked as she grabbed her wrist and pulled her as they marched to the Castle. Blackwall followed, reading the urgency in the matter.

"Before we shot arrows. I didn't know bees could hurt her, I just wanted a laugh, " the elf said.

"Maybe she hasn't returned to her room yet. We need to take care of it." Trevelyan stirred, "A single sting could kill her. Damn it, I was trying to stay away from her today !"

"Why's that ? The Noble-y bitch is after your coin or somethin' ?" 

They went up the stairs.

"She's my sister." 

Blackwall and Sera both squinted in surprise.

"What ? Really ?! That dressy shit is your sister ?!" The elf blurted, feeling more remorse for her mistake.

"Quiet, Sera." Trevelyan sighed, "I feel bad enough as it is. I don't know why she's here- frankly, I don't need to...BUT I can't ignore her life being at risk. Thanks a lot. Maybe if we move fast we can avoid running into her. If I have to endure her bitching lectures, I'm taking you down with me !"

"C'mon, then. Y'know you could had said somethin about her. Is that why you're being such a tight ass lately ?"

"Among other reasons." Trevelyan inspected the Main Hall and found no sign of Emilia. 

Maybe her advisers were keeping her busy. 

"Oi, is this the same sister you said that betrayed you ?" Blackwall asked, recalling several of their drunkened story-telling episodes around camp fires.

"The very same." Trevelyan muttered with disgust.  
  
Sera blinked a few times as they briskly went down the Hall, "Your sis hurt you, did she ?"

"It was a long time ago but I'm still pissed about it."

"Don't let her rant about it. She won't be able to stop." Blackwall mumbled to the elf with discretion.

"We...could leave the bees, right ?"

"They could KILL her, Sera." Trevelyan reminded her again. 

"Oh. Right. Well..it might be a problem. Don't know how many I stuffed in there. Jus' sayin'."

"Fuckin' fantastic."

________________

  
"Lady Emilia, how was your tour around Skyhold ?" Josephine asked earnestly as she poured the cups of tea. Cullen managed to escape from the luncheon-he seemed more nervous when he led her to the ambassador's office. 

"The fortress is wonderful. Organized. Spirited. My sister had surprised me with the efforts she made thus far. " The Noblewoman declared as she sat in her indicated seat with perfect poise, "I'm relieved, in fact."

Josephine passed out the teas.

"Are you that surprised ? The Lady Inquisitor's valor had made all of this possible." The Spymaster said, still distracted by Morrigan's hypothetical ploy.

"I have only known Adrienne for her, let's say, "spirited nature," before I left our family's estate for a broad education."

"Yes, you lived in Antiva for a time." Josephine mused, tossing Leliana a sharp look to sit down before she continued to hover into a pace near the exit like an aimless wraith. Her icy mood would no doubt offend Lady Emilia if she continued. The Spymaster received her message and obeyed, taking her seat between them.

"The best years of my life. Years of the best tutors may be good for a determined mind but to see and experience a culture different from one's own is the true enlightenment." 

"I completely agree. The first time I had left my country, it was humbling to see and know things I had no idea existed." Josephine recalled.

Leliana stirred her tea after placing a meager sum of sugar in it; the Ambassador silently noted that maybe a calm blend would soothe her troubling paranoia. It seemed to have metabolized the longer she was kept from her dark fortress in the tower with those ..birds. Her position required a great amount anonymity, manipulation, and intangible spy networks but that certainly didn't mean she had to refine antisocial tendencies and lack of personal care like avoiding sunlight. 

Since the end of the Blight and her assignment to being the late Divine's left hand, her friend had changed considerably; shaped by regarding herself as an instrument that neglected the qualities that once defined her endearing character. She remembered a time when she would always have a story to tell and often rambled charmingly her way through it. She also remembered the Nightingale use to sing to her heart's content whenever she was inspired by something as irrelevant as a broken tree branch or a glove with a missing brass button. Had the years truly crippled her ? 

Josephine would like to consider it unlikely for there were isolated moments when she would catch some of Leliana's old habits in action. For an example, she was humming to herself when she found her in her solitude to discuss the Inquisitor's success in the Storm Coast. Lady Trevelyan had just recruited the Iron Bull and his mercenary company and later decided ( for the sake of cementing her friendship with the Qunari, as so it was described in her message) to slay a giant with him. She claimed the beast would pose a problem later for the Inquisition camps and preferred to keep her soldiers and scouts out of danger it would had caused. The particular venture did much to encourage the Inquisition's morale, in fact, many had respect for her after the slaying- and it became quite the common story in the Herald's Rest for weeks. Whether it was heroism or Trevelyan's unrelenting recklessness to kill things larger than her to accommodate her ego, the deed was just what the order needed to continue. Josephine wished to discuss to Leliana about their next move now that the momentum of their success had started and they expected the Herald to return in a few days with Bull and his Chargers (with the tusks of the giant they slayed as a trophy). She found the Spymaster actually HUMMING a delightfully heartwarming tune; when she addressed it-her friend simply denied it and stated she was praying (a lie poorly constructed by who was suppose to be an expert on subterfuge).  
  
Another time, Josephine found the Spymaster in a strange mood in the War Room when they waited for the Inquisitor to arrive to discuss the situation in the Emerald Graves. She was practically glowing when Lady Trevelyan arrived, a vivid contrast that changed in a matter of seconds.

"It is very true. It also has a way to bring out the nostalgia of home and the things you wished you had more time to examine when you still had the chance." Lady Emilia stated.

So Leliana was right...and she even gave them the opportunity to explore what she meant. 

"Is that why you're here, my Lady ?" The Spymaster inquired, seizing the chance to discover her purpose. 

Lady Emilia's nutmeg colored eyes flashed in satisfaction, pleased to divulge, "It is no secret that my little sister and I did not part on good terms due to an incident long ago that decimated the relationship we had."

Josephine and Leliana scooted themselves closer to the table.

"There are few details about what happened but I understand the circumstances within a Noble house encouraged anonymity. It must had been difficult to be estranged from your sister for so long." Josephine said gently.

"I know fully well Adrienne has been avoiding me and I understand her reasons. I trust that after all these years and the trials she has yet to face that may separate us forever, she will come to realize that it is time to put the strain behind us and say what we need to say before it's too late." Lady Emilia paused a moment to take a modest sip to clear her throat, "Do you have siblings ?"

"I'm afraid I don't." Leliana said.

"I do." Josephine replied, already drawn to the motivation behind their guest's intention.

"Then you would understand that sometimes one makes horrible mistakes against the ones you care about the most. I hope to ratify the animosity that existed between Adrienne and I while there is still time. The truth is...I had hurt her in ways she had never quite recovered from. It produced a divide within our family where she felt the need to continue her path of self-destructive habits for temporary relief until our belated father, Maker bless his soul, attempted to force her out of it by sending her to the Conclave. Little did any of us knew that the Maker works in mysterious ways and gave her the most difficult role as a protector. Perhaps it was meant to be, to give her a perspective she sorely needed."

"You hope to be forgiven ?" Leliana summarized, her intrigue peaking from her STILL obscure confession.

"And I hope to forgive her."

Josephine hoped for more of an elaborate explanation but at least they had a better understanding of the divide within the Trevelyan familiar line. She understood that siblings DO fight from time to time that eventually lead to apologies and then blatant denial that the fight never happened in the first place..but sometimes the disharmony COULD last for years. From her impression, Lady Emilia had caused a great grievance against her younger sister that caused them to separate when they were young. She ended up traveling the world while Adrienne's journey led her to the events of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It seems that her arrival did not have the motivation of reaping the Inquisitor's fortune and fame, but to gain an accord while they were both still alive. As bleak as it was to think about, the trail to Corypheus's defeat may not have the happy ending that everyone deluded themselves to believe. There are sacrifices for the monumental task of saving the world from oblivion and Lady Trevelyan was the tip of the spear. 

This was a case of a remorseful sister hoping to put to rest the estrangement they had suffered for years. It was terribly touching and tragic..and abundantly romantic that it could be found in one of Varric's cheesy manuscripts. Josephine looked at Leliana to determine what she was thinking but only could conclude she continued to be curious. She wanted to know specifically WHAT Lady Emilia had done to encourage the Inquisitor's resentment; later, she will reason that it would be important to know for the security of the Inquisition when REALLY it had to do with her insatiable need to know ANYTHING having to do with Lady Trevelyan. The thought made Josephine realize something she should had months ago..

"I am certain she will come to her senses, my Lady. It has been a turbulent time for her and her recent dealings with securing Orlais's throne and she had little time to recover due to her numerous responsibilities. In the meanwhile, you are most welcome to stay as long as you need. I..know what it is like to be the oldest and to have a little sister that is...let's say...willful." It is extremely likely that the Inquisitor had committed far more atrocious acts than her sister,Yevette, whom was more inclined to recklessly spend the family fortune on mild interests she would discard later.

"Willful is one term. From the stories I had heard of my sister, I am hopeful the storm within her heart had calmed enough to permit entry."

"Lady Trevelyan is a woman of worth, my Lady. There is scarcely anyone to dispute it." The Spymaster said as if it were fact. Josephine practically choked on her tea as the epiphany once again troubled her.

So, that's what it has been, the Ambassador thought. It would explain the intermittent changes in Leliana's mood. Her friend fancied the Inquisitor in a more intimate fashion. How did she NOT notice it before ? It explained her stark possessiveness of protecting her and insistence of learning any secrets there was to know about her. Now that she thought about it, the Spymaster often observed her training sessions with the Iron Bull with intrigue, and she thought it was from an academic perspective. Dear Maker, if it were true then there was more to be worried about than her shallow feud with her former associate, Morrigan. 

"Are you alright, Lady Ambassador ?" The Inquisitor's sister asked her, noting her slight discomfort.  
  
"Of course. I was just thinking about the garden. You should find time to enjoy it's tranquility while the climate is agreeable. Your sister took her time to assemble its layout and even designed some of the statues." 

Lady Emilia looked as though she had trouble digesting the concept, "Adrienne...designed a garden ? When she was a teenager she spent more of her time drinking in them- it is troubling to picture her realizing the spiritual benefits rather than passing out in the grass for the servants to discover the next morning. I will have the Commander escort me at his convenience."

Leliana wiped the corners of her mouth with her folded napkin to disguise her smirk.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sera gives Morrigan advice. I had the most fun writing this chapter. I couldn't stop laughing. -AvidVice (avie1821@aim.com)

Morrigan paced in front of the tavern after what felt like a long time of inconclusive deliberation. By the placement of the sun, it was getting closer to sunset and her nerves were on fire as she frantically tried to prepare herself for her planned rendezvous with the Inquisitor in her chambers. It was infuriating that such a matter would affect her so ardently ! What difference would it make to bed a woman ? A renown woman, at that. 

The grimoire was needed. She had it in her possession. Therefore, she had to retrieve it by any means necessary. If that meant she had to share her bed for a POLITE amount of time then so be it. 

For the past hour, she tried to gain her confidence but was defeated by the uncertainty of the deed itself. She hadn't the faintest idea what would be expected of her in terms of intimacy..not that she wished to be some kind of expert to impress her but she didn't want to be boring in a way that would tarnish what progress she made with keeping her attention. It was certainly easy to gain her favor by the means of using her feminine form to attract her but...now approached the complicated part of seduction. With men, it would be trivial. All she would be required to do was to lay on her back and pretend she was somewhere else for five minutes. With another woman, she could scarcely assume the same tactic would work.

The Witch spent her time building the courage to do something that she never thought she would do .EVER. Her options were limited and so was her time. 

  
As if with an ironic sense of timing, she spotted the elf stomping over to the tavern, called the Herald's Rest (more like the Herald's second home) like someone with purpose. She didn't appear pleased; red sores were dressed on her neck and arms and her blonde poorly trimmed hair was sloppy as if she had just fallen off the roof of the horse stables.

Morrigan had little knowledge of the Inquisitor's companions, having only met a few at the Winter Palace days ago- and the insufferable archer was one of them. It hardly took time to learn that she had the vocabulary of a tavern drunk, SOME distinctive marksmanship, and, recently (from evasdropping on a dwarf with ridiculous chesthairs and a Tevinter mage) a woman that preferred her own gender when it came to companionship. 

It wasn't the direction she expected to take but she was desperate and it seemed she would be the only one to ask (besides the Bard and she'd rather swallow a tankard of sour cow piss and broken glass than to EVER ask for her help). What would be the harm other than to risk MORE of her pride ?

Morrigan silently reminded herself of what was at stake. She had to get that infernal book. If it would cost some dignity then so be it !

The impish elf came closer, clearly mumbling to herself. "Stupid Trevs...stupid bees..friggin' nobley-skirt and her allergies..probably faked it. Ne'ver heard of some piss-pot dying over bug-bites." 

The Witch didn't care how or why she acquired an incalculable number of bee-stings now that it became obvious. She glided closer to the tavern's entrance-well within the elf's sights, trying to recall what her name was and HOW she could begin to have a reasonable conversation with someone with a limited intelligence. She decided it should be similar to talking to Alistair.

The Archer stopped herself from reaching for the handle as soon as she spotted Morrigan with a stunned expression. She flinched away as if she had stumbled upon a demon, "THE FRIG ?!" 

Wonderful, the Witch thought tiredly. Off to a splendid start. 

"Greetings. I..apologize for startling you." She forced herself to say.

The elf kept her distance, "Yer that mage from Celene's stupid party. You tryin' to scare the piss outta me with your creepy-magic- invisible shite ? Well take yer tricks to someone else, I'm endin' my night getting shit-faced !"

From the overwhelming labyrinth of the hideous sounds coming from her foul mouth, Morrigan concluded the elf was skittish when it came to magic. 

"I just wish to ask you a question, if you would indulge me. My name is Morrigan and I assure you I will not take much of your time." 

She looked as though she were insulted from the mere civil introduction, "Wha ? Are you daft ? What the HELL could YOU want to know from me ? I don't know bloody magic, talk to Vivvy and Moustache !"

For the book...for the book..

"It has nothing to do with magic. I..wish to know about something that I heard you may have experience in. That is all."

"If it's elfy shit, talk to Sol-ASS."

It would seem she had to be as direct as possible to get through to her, she was as defensive as a child. Morrigan drew a heavy breath to summon as much patience as possible (and there was little left) and kept her distance to respect her boundaries to indicate there was no harm.

"I..would like to know what does two women do in bed intimately." She stated, feeling her self-respect dwindle like a candle flame about to give out.

The elf's brows lifted instantly in profound silence, trying to figure out if she had heard correctly. Then, she looked around as if there were some kind of trick. At least her defensive posture had subsided but the silence alone nearly persuaded Morrigan to give up and resort to laying on her back like a fresh caught fish for the Inquisitor to maul on- it couldn't be any worse than the discomfort of this encounter.

"What ?" The Archer finally asked, tilting her head as she examined her from top to bottom like a puzzling riddle to decipher. 

"Well, do you know or don't you ?"

"You...don't seem like the type. Is this some kind of prank or somethin ? Did Trevs put you up to this shite to pay me back for the bees ?" She folded her arms, unconvinced.

For the love of all that is sensible... "No. It is not a prank. Do I look like the joking sort to you ? I just wish to know. If you do not want to elaborate then say so so this exchange can end !"

She pursed her lips with a squint and then started to chuckle, "OOoooohh ! I see ! Yer curious. You got some kind of lover to "test the waters" on. I'm right, yeah ?" Her chuckle became a snotty laugh that nearly encouraged her to scorch her with a well placed fireball. "Holy shite ! I thought this day couldn't get any weirder !" She slapped her knee as some of her bee-stings began to puss. "YOU ? Miss. Witchy-witch with a tight ass ? Oh, this is brilliant !"

"This was obviously a waste of time." Morrigan grunted, attempting to stomp off and come up with another plan.

"OI ! I didn't say no !" The elf said as she tried to recover, wiping the tears away. Morrigan stopped. "I guess it's serious if you're askin' ME. Buy me a drink and I'll give you some advice. I got good ones too..ain't sayin' I'm somekind of weirdy from a brothel BUT I have been told I'm pretty good, yeah ? What do you say, Morri ?"

"That sounds reasonable but I trust this is strictly between us." NOW she was getting somewhere. Alcoholics remain to be an implicit source of information for their price was manageable.

"You mean..keep it a secret ? Al'right." She slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

With the Bard around, Morrigan couldn't be sure how quickly rumor could spread and she had to get Flemeth's grimoire before Leliana gets her boyish hands on it.

  
She followed her into the noisy interior of the tavern where all manners of people were drunkedly chatting and singing to pass the time. The sooner she can have this nausiating talk, the sooner she can leave. She spotted the Qunari on the right side of the building, distracted enough not to notice her.   
  
The elf confidently went to the bar counter where a stern dwarf stood behind it, "Cabot, give me a bottle of your good shit, yeah ?"

"Are you going to pay this time, Sera ?" He snorted with the emotional state of a tranquil.

"NOPE ! My friend here will !" She thumbed behind her at Morrigan. 

So that was her name. Sera. 

The dwarf peered at her expectantly for a confirmation. The Witch could only assume that this happens often. 

"It is as she says. Get her the bottle." Morrigan said with a lofty sigh as she tossed a few gold pieces on the table, not caring how much the bottle was. She just wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

Cabot shrugged and took out a red bottle from the shelf behind the counter and placed it in front of Sera, his expression still unchanged, "Try not to puke on the tables."

"We'll see !" Sera chimed spiritedly as she seized the bottle that was her prize. She nodded towards the stairs as she turned to her, "Let's go to my room. Private and all. Well not really since that creepy stain, Cole, moved in. Good 'nuff."

She...lives in the tavern ? Of course she did..

They went up the rickety stairs and around the perimeter of the building to an impossibly stuffed room full of odd trinkets and bounty that practically blocked the entrance. At least it would be better than near the crowds below. Sera started chugging the bottle with contentment as she kicked over a stack of books (as if she had ever finished a book in her lifetime) from her stained couch. She pointed at the cleared spot, "Sit yer tight ass there." 

She COULD resent the suggestion but with SOME tolerance, this can be finished quickly and before sunset. 

Morrigan sat down as the elf shut her door with a hip bump and proceeded to sit on the small table in front of the couch with the grace of a taverness with a peg-leg. She held the bottle to her breast as she faced her, clearly thinking about where to begin as her thick chapped lips were stained with liquor. Even from her distance, she could detect the aroma and surmised it was as potent as lantern fuel. It wouldn't be long until she would be too drunk to finish a sentence and Morrigan was losing her patience.

"So ? What advice do you have for me ?" She questioned to move things along before the elf would fall over.

Sera gestured her to be quiet as she continued to think while tasting her lips. If she thought any harder, she would be overburdened but Morrigan bit her tongue in compliance. It would be hours until dark and there was still time. 

For the book...for the book...

After what felt like eons, Sera finally leaned forward, "One question. Well, TWO. Is she a top or a bottom ? And what are you ?"

"If you are asking if she is dominant then my suspicions say it is so."

The elf grunted, anaylzing the answer as if it were more complicated than it seemed. "You ?"

"Does it matter ?"

"Well, I guess not if she's a power-top and yer' still going for it. In THAT case then you need to know what to expect during a tumble, yeah?"

What the blazes is a power-top ? The Witch thought. It sounded troubling.

The elf chugged from her bottle again and gave a hoarse sigh of relief, "Al'right, Morri, there are TWO things. TWO tools that a lady-lover uses to please a'nother."

Tools ? Are they still discussing intimacy ? 

She placed the bottle down beside her and held up her right hand with a serious expression. "You got this, yeah ?"

Morrigan glared at her hand to interpret her notion. Of course, the hand. That would make sense since a phallus would be absent. 

"Dependin' on how experienced your lover is, she would know how to please you with just this." She, then, put down some of her fingers to only distinguish two, "These biddies can make yer toes curl with the right place and with the right ..yknow..uh..pressure. If yer into that kind of thing, that is." She looked around the room, "Maybe there's something I can use to show you what I mean.."

"I understand what you mean." Morrigan declared, praying to whatever creator that COULD exist to stop the elf from using props.

"Right. So.It's like this..the best spot is inside, of course..but point 'em up and slightly towards the right and press a little bit. Only a little ! Drives em crazy, it does." She clarified as she made somekind of poor attempt to gesture what she meant.

Roughly getting the concept, Morrigan curtly nodded for her to continue. 

"The second tool, yeah ? This one is reallllllly important. Well, I think it is. Don't let anyone tell you different. It's the mouth. Pretty obvious but there you go." Sera continued as she reached for the bottle again.

Morrigan pondered the second concept more heavily, "Why the mouth ?"

The elf spat out the liquor she tried to ingest, some of the spittle landed on the Witch's lap. She quickly brushed it away in disgust. 

Sera wiped her chin with her poorly sewn sleeve with a bewildered look, "What do you mean why ? It's the mouth !" She inspected Morrigan's confusion, "Wait, wait, wait..are you tellin' me you don't know ?"

If she was going to laugh again, she was going to set the tavern on fire. "What don't I know ?"

Sera let out a long exhale, "Andraste's tits...you poor woman. No wonder yer such a tight ass." She groaned in frustration as she messily combed back her hair with her dirty fingernails, "Okay..uh..well sometimes when two people do it..they use their mouths. Get it now ?"

"Are you referring to kissing ?" It seemed to be the ONLY plausible concept.

Sera squinted at her, "Look, it's not my business BUT whatever lovers you had before should have their puckers shot with arrows. I mean, what the fuck..everyone should know this shite !"

Apparently there has been a dynamic oversight. "Elaborate then."

The elf leaned back, trying to subside her devastation, "So..mouths. Okay. Sometimes when people do stuff to eachother..they use their mouths. Like, on PLACES other than the face. Do you get it now ?"

It felt as though the couch could swallow her whole and materialize her into a permanent stain on the fabric along with the others. The Witch sharply glared at her to determine whether or not she was being completely serious. "You are referring to.."

"Down there. Yeah." She wasn't laughing. In fact, she was expressing somekind of concern for her. 

Was this drunkard pitying her ? She might as well be..Morrigan had no idea such a method existed..and found the concept unsettling.

"Oh." 

Sera took her astonishment as an invitation to issue assurances, "It's actually really good. Feels great. Even better if you get both tools."

Both ? 

Morrigan wondered if she had bitten off more than she could chew in this predicament. She thought gaining SOME knowledge would put her mind at ease but it was quite the opposite.

"Shite, don't look so scared, Morri. It's al'right. It doesn't hurt. If she don't do it right, it's just weird..won't hurt. If she DOES do it right then yer gonna feel bloody GOOD. If she's a power-top then she'll be the one in control and all you need to do is..yknow..be veryyyy up front about what works for you and what doesn't. If something works for you then let her know, power-tops like compliments. Turns em on."

This was all so unexpected and confusing, just when she had some sense of the world outside of the Korcari Wilds-something else comes along and reasserts her doubts.

"I see." She could only say, wondering if there was another way to get the book.

She COULD stealthily enter the Inquisitor's chambers while she is asleep and attempt to steal it but something told her the woman had sharp senses. She may be equipped to wake at the slightest disturbance. She couldn't afford to be compromised if she intended to stay in Skyhold until Corypheus's defeat. And she couldn't afford to allow Flemeth's grimoire to fall into the wrong hands as well. 

She supposed that the prospects could be worse..she would just have to endure it for whatever was considered an effective amount of time and pretend she was satisfied (a feat she used often). Before she could thank the elf (that looked drunker with every passing moment) and be on her way, Sera clumsily stood up and went to her dresser that was covered in stacked books and crumpled up pieces of parchment with unfinished drawings.

"Wait..I got it..hang on !" She exclaimed. 

"Actually, I think-" The Witch started but was silenced by a box filled with differently shaped buttons that fell near her feet. Sera reached to the top of the dresser as she stood on the tips of her toes. 

She took what looked like a plump peach from a brass bowl. "Got it !" What nonsense was this fool up to now ? 

Sera sat back down, taking a dagger to slice the peach into two halves. She flung the pit over her shoulder with a smugged grin, "Al'right, Morri, pay attention to this bit." She held up one of the halves and pointed at the center, "THIS is down there."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trevelyan's got game, son.

"Inquisitor, how may I help you ?" Solas asked as he suspended his painting. He wiped his hands on a rag and joined her near his desk. It became clear she was hesitant to state her true intent which meant it must be a private matter. Normally, anytime she would visit his chambers, it was without ceremony. 

From the brief warning from Varric hours ago, Inquisitor Trevelyan was still in a frantic state that required patience and understanding. The time in Orlais made her restless and resentful, causing her to drink and curse throughout Skyhold that would put Sera to shame.

He didn't expect to see improvements so soon. She appeared to be fully alert and sober. Her hair was neatly brushed and not in tangles smudged with food and dust and her shirt was clean without a speck or stain of blood . The smell of fragrant oils filled the room, revealing that she had recently took a proper bath. How pecuiliar... perhaps she finally found the rest that she had needed and was ready to proceed with her life. 

"Solas, it's a beautiful day outside. You should consider taking a walk for fresh air while there is still daylight. Being confined here by ) candlelight all day can't be good for the soul." She said. 

Her enigma continued to surprise him. It seemed her mood made a complete turn-around, but he doubted she came to express her concern for his well-being.

"I will consider it. Is there something else, Inquisitor ? I sense there is something on your mind." He said. Sometimes she needed a little encouragement.

"There...is." She said with hesitation and proceeded to reach into the band of her pants to retrieve a book. She looked upon it as if it were significant, "I found this awhile ago in the Hinterlands and have been trying to translate it. It's in elvhen so I thought...maybe..you could tell me what it is."

"How strange..there is hardly written elvish that survived the centuries. Even the Dalish have but a remnant of their lost language." Solas said, leering at the book. If it were elvhen then it must be very old and should be dust by now but it appeared to be in mint form. Magic could be responsible for it's preservation, it was common for mages and scholars to utilize seals on important text to survive decomposing elements. He held out his hand, "May I ?"

She appeared as though she didn't wish to part with it but handed it over. Upon contact, Solas immediately felt the seal's potency threaded through the book like a quilt. It's effects was familiar and ancient. His suspicions flared. 

"I think it was written by a mage. Somekind of journal." Trevelyan said.

He examined the first page and realized which mage it was. The fabled Flemeth..or to put it more accurately, his old friend. What was this doing in Hinterlands ? He quickly flipped through some of the pages, recognizing her handwriting. The Inquisitor merely watched in anticipation as he silently read a page and then promptly closed the book with a shudder as if a cold wind chilled him.

"And ?" Trevelyan inquired.

"Nothing good will come from this book, I'm afraid." He answered bluntly.

"What do you mean ? Are there somekind of ancient and destructive spells within it that could prove dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands ?"

It wasn't a secret that Inquisitor Trevelyan had a fascination with magic and all things arcane- in a lot of ways she resembled a child that would find the simplest of illusions intriguing. 

"Dangerous is one word for what this is. Rest assured, my friend, and take my word for it..nothing good will come from it." He handed her back the book to conclude the matter.

"I see. I suppose I'll find a safe place for it then." She said with a sad sigh.

"You're disappointed."

"I don't know what I expected from it but I was always a fool when it came to abandoned journals that I would find during my travels. At least you saved me the painstaking time it would take to translate this." She tucked it back into her trousers, "Thank you, Solas."

"I am glad to be of service." He gave a nod as she departed and wondered if he should have suggested her to burn the infernal thing. Even though it carried an old friend's mark between the pages, it had no business existing in this realm. 

_______

As prepared as she could ever be and determined to conclude this venture permanently, Morrigan inspected the calm of the garden. Assured that there was no one in sight, she shape-shifted into a raven and took off to the top of the tower with the balcony where the Inquisitor's chambers beckoned. It was easier this way and she'd rather not suffer further embarrassment by submitting herself to "sneaking" down the Main Hall and up the stairs like a half-wit rogue..not with Vivienne so close-by. She had enough mortification from the majority of the day to last a lifetime. 

The Witch landed on the railing of the balcony, noting the doors were still opened. It's curtains gently swayed while within the chambers, she could see the fireplace had been recently attended to. Inquisitor Trevelyan was inspecting one of her bookcases that was filled and organized with a weighty collection. Perhaps she had placed Flemeth's grimoire there, Morrigan thought, opting to inspect her numerous bookcases while her presence remained undetected. There were too many books of similar color to isolate her prize which will deem her search difficult. Why does she have so many books ? The high-born did not appear to be one of learning and with the tedious tasks she had as her role as a leader of a "peace-making" organization, she would hardly have the time to read. 

Eternal damnation, she thought to herself as she examined more of the interior where carved chests and bureaus outlined the large room. The book could be anywhere. Perhaps, with fortune, it could still be in her pants...but it appeared that the Inquisitor had changed recently. Bathed, in fact. She no longer resembled a laborer that lived on the docks. Her dark hair was oiled and brushed, tied to one side where its mane rested on her left shoulder. She wore another long-sleeved white blouse where the sleeves were rolled up, escorted with a pair of leggings with a gold buckle. It wasn't unbecoming, in fact, FEW women that dress in obvious men attire manage to look elegant and feminine. 

The Inquisitor examined a row of books, likely passing the time as she waited for Morrigan to arrive. By the way she handled some of them, she expressed pride of her collection. But where was that book ? Morrigan cocked her head to the left as she spotted a small stack of black-colored books (perhaps the same size as the grimoire) planted on top of the bookcase closest to the other balcony across the room. One of them MUST be it. 

Lady Trevelyan turned her head, catching the sight of the raven in the corner of her eye with surprise. So...it begins. A part of Morrigan entertained the idea of just flying off and returning later to snatch the book with her talons if the balcony doors remained opened throughout the night. 

The Witch pushed back her pride and transformed back into her human form in a puff of black smoke, which astonished the Inquisitor. She supposed the gesture would further captivate her and make it easier to manipulate her. Morrigan entered her chambers with an alluring stroll to emphasize the movements of her hips which successfully made Trevelyan transform into a slack-jawed fool. 

Her chambers was bigger than she imagined, furnished for comfort with telling trinkets and baubles that defined their owner. The warmth of the fire was comforting enough as she briefly examined the well-made bed. Too large for even two people to use with a sculpted headboard and legs and over stuffed pillows with matching red silk fabrics. The piece was undoubtedly ordered from Orlais; it was good to know the Inquisition's fortune was being spent wisely. Looking past the detail, all she could determine from it now was the inevitability. Her nervousness returned with nausea but she knew better than to show any remnant of it. She got this far and if Trevelyan sensed any of her hesitance NOW then her conscience would compel her to cancel the evening altogether and she'll never get the blasted book in time before the Bard will. 

"You make quite an entrance, Lady Morrigan," The Inquisitor said, recovering from her amazement. She was pleased and looked upon her with a subtle hunger. "Can you shape-shift into other animals ?"

For the book...for the book..

Morrigan faced the fireplace, acting as though she were cold as she warmed her hands to temporarily mend her nerves AND to pretend she was being coy, "If I have the desire to. "

Lady Trevelyan took her hint and proceeded to close both of the balconies' doors in an orderly manner though her speed conveyed anticipation. Someone has been eagered.. and Morrigan was ready to be done with the conquest once and for all so she may put it from her mind for the rest of her life. 

What's five or ten minutes of faking her interpretation of satisfaction in the privacy of the top of a brick tower and THEN waiting for the high-born to surrender to slumber for one evening ? If she had to suffer losing more of her self-respect for the sake of gaining what's expected to be a candid advantage against Flemeth then she will gladly pay the price. Even if it meant suffering a foreign touch that will likely-

She felt a warm breath hitting the back of her neck as the Inquisitor came closer behind her. So they were to get started quickly then ? Good. She was dreading more idle-talk that would only provoke her impatience. 

Morrigan stayed still as Lady Trevelyan's proximity faintly touched her back; one hand glided to her left hip as another landed on her naked shoulder. The Witch couldn't help but think that if the dalliance were finished in time then she could even begin her reading by midnight. No doubt Flemeth likely planted a hidden pslam within the book's contents to disguise the true knowledge that lied within. Perhaps there was even some clue to-

The hand on her shoulder suddenly tickled across the contour of the nape of her neck that produced a slight chill. Morrigan's skin shivered involuntarily. 

How did she do that ? It hardly felt like a touch at all..more like the tip of a feather that brushed against her. Perhaps she wasn't attentive to her surroundings and therefore her sensibilities were too impaired to-

The hand on her hip lightly squeezed, coaxing her to lean back against her. How did she do THAT ? 

Her pursuer's lips slightly brushed against her neck, "What is your desire now ?" The Inquisitor asked in a low alluring voice that nearly sounded like foreign. 

She held a different kind of confidence than what she was capable of expressing hours ago, like that of a Wyvern that stalked its prey to an inescapable corner. Several of the long loose strands of her hair ghosted across her upper back.

Morrigan swallowed inaudibly, "To sate your hunger, Inquisitor." She was seeking a final permission to continue further, something she wasn't use to in terms of a courteous bed-side manner but at least it was respectful.

With that, the Inquisitor high-born wrapped her arm around her waist as she latched her warm mouth upon her neck as if she were a parasite seeking nourishment. Morrigan drew a sharp breath from the impact, expecting her to ravage her skin like her previous conquests had done but no...she was astoundingly gentle..touching her neck in places with a potent yet well-versed tongue that knew exactly where and how to inspire the most sensitive areas she never deemed existed. How was she able to even tell what would be gratifying ? Was it due to her gender perhaps or-

The Inquisitor nibbled on her earlobe that caused her to flinch. The arm around her waist retracted so that its hand rested solely on her abdomen. The fingers  
began to roam down her physique as if they were sculpting her out of clay. Morrigan felt herself tremble from the symphony of the two contrasting yet generous caresses, realizing that Lady Trevelyan's encouraging yet somehow assertive nature depicted her as a considerate lover of domination. She desired to be the one in control, which started to describe her as a "power-top;" according to the drunk elf with the manners of a fisherman's whore had described.The Witch suspected as much, if the example of her sparring with the Qunari earlier was any indication. If ithis was the case then her role should be a submissive one. It was a blessing in disguise for she wasn2't certain if she could conduct ANY measures the elf had explicitly illustrated on a piece of fruit (against her passionate insistence not to). 

Trevelyan's fingers rested briefly against her pelvis area-implicitly close to her lower navel as the fireplace crackled. She turned Morrigan around promptly. Facing her, the Witch ascertained she looked positively concentrated as if she were facing another opponent on the battlefield; ripe with intensity and longing. 

She pulled her closer by one hand as the other curled around her upper torso where it landed on the back of her neck. The Inquisitor kissed her. What she expected to be a desperate slobbering assault against her mouth turned out to be another surprising conumdrum of sensations she wasn't familiar with. Her soft lips against hers was flattering to say the least..interpreting her every twitch and most obscure of movements as a line of communication to tell whether or not what she was doing was agreeable. That intolerable elf was right...the Inquisitor was seeking reassurances.

Morrigan, still unraveling what was transpiring, quickly delivered a series of moans beneath her breath so that her partner may be at ease. Her ego required needed confidence; harvesting pleasure from pleasure. 

Satisfied, her tongue slipped into her mouth as she lightly touched her lower back, shifting her reach to the straps of her top. Once again, it seemed the contact of her very fingertips felt as though they were producing electricity. 

This was developing into a confusing relevation for the Witch as she became the one manipulated by any seemingly insignificant touch by Trevelyan. Never had she been treated so tenderly like a priceless artifact as she was pressed against and slowly ushered towards where she assumed was the bed. 

It became clear the Inquisitor was VERY experienced indeed, knowing where and how to touch someone of her gender and they were still clothed ! She could be the female human version of Zevran himself (IF his stories of conquest had any truth to them). Morrigan drastically under-estimated her, causing her to quickly rethink her strategy. It was difficult to even think as the high-born wrestled her mouth with her own- causing her heartrate to race and her skin to mist with slight perspiration. 

Is she becoming aroused ? How could she possibly cause such excitability ? Morrigan was certain she would and COULD never find another woman stimulating as the Bard or elf would...so what would explain this oddity ?

The Inquisitor pulled back to pause, causing her to feel like melted candle wax in her embrace. She stroked her shoulders, toying with the straps of her top again. Morrigan tried to recover some of her awareness, realizing she wanted her to undress. Her eyes darted to the top of the bookcase from earlier, spying on the stack of black books once again. 

Trevelyan nestled her mouth upon her neck again as the Witch reached for the strings of her top that was tied behind her back. Whatever this isolated intrigue was- it will pass, she thought with confidence. As soon as they bedded, it will be over and they were close to being-

The Inquisitor unpredictably slid her hand down her pants, planting it between her legs. What followed after could only be described as somekind of massage that already memorized the entire anatomy of her gender, causing her to stagger as she untied the strings. She quickly clutched onto her shoulder with her left hand to catch her balance from her body's involuntary reaction. A groan escaped her as well as the top of her shirt dropped..what was she doing that practically made her her puppet ? She wasn't sure whether she liked this form of submission- it seemed too vulnerable...and yet..

Trevelyan's hand gently caressed her. It was with genuine surprise that she was getting insufferably aroused..a feeling she rarely encountered throughout the years and it was all due to a few touches she should had found boring. She groaned again without intending to, tightening her hold onto her partner. 

Lady Trevelyan shifted her mouth down to her collar bone, sucking the skin upon it briefly- drifting lower as her hand on her gender curved and minimized its pressure, causing her to yearn for more. 

She had the audacity to toy with her ? Did she expect her to beg for her own amusement ? 

The Witch pushed her back causing her to desist entirely; to put some distance between them. The Inquisitor was slightly out of breath-drunk from her enthralled lust- glaring with dark eyes that seemed voidless. She knew THAT look very well; the untainted desire to ravage her like an alpha. At least she did not have an unbearable beard that would prick her skin, a pertruding stomach from years of never refusing a tankard of ale, and the smell of an ox that had rolled around in an used basin..

Morrigan took off her sleeve, allowing it to fall to the floor- analyzing her watcher's reaction flicker with approval. She walked closer to the bed while unbuckling the latch of her pants, allowing it to part to reveal her lowermost abdomen. The Inquisitor unbuttoned her blouse as she came closer, taking Morrigan's silent direction hungrily. She practically tore away her "restraint" in a fit of impatience, destroying the last clasps of the buttons when they were ripped from the fabric. 

Again, the Witch witnessed her curious physique-the musculature of her form at a closer range was agreeable for her gender. Perhaps this wouldn't be entirely unpleasant, she thought. 

Trevelyan went to her and pulled down her pants with urgency while capturing her lips once more. The Witch's spine tingled again..

This was ridiculous! How could her body be so easily swayed ? It was like a betrayal ! Morrigan summoned what was left of her self-respect and silently vowed to herself that she WILL NOT be the one exploited; the desperation of losing her pride demanded it to be so.

___________

  
Solas walked up the stairs with one of his usual silent contemplations. After much consideration while having a late dinner, he decided he should inform the Inquisitor about what he read from the book. It was not like she had diabolical intentions to gain anything from it- she had a curious mind; perhaps not as academic as a scholar but she sought reasonable curiousity. Perhaps her fascination with magic may be controversial to the majority of human society but everyone had their fixations. 

He concluded that if the Inquisitor sought answers from an ancient book to satisfy her intrigue rather than seeking relief at the bottom of a bottle then it SHOULD be encouraged. Her drinking had been a growing issue for quite a while since the destruction of Haven; anyone with eyes could see she developed a dependence during times of turmoil. 

The apostate could recall a time when they journeyed the Hissing Wastes where there was endless night in a desert full of sand. Unfortunately, Lady Trevelyan was adept at finding loot and any matter of useful cargo that would benefit the Inquisition or her small band of companions; among her findings was a collection of liquor to sample. Despite what territories they explored and cleansed from rifts, there would always be abandoned bottles of spirits wherever they tracked. The Inquisitor couldn't be more than pleased at the Wastes while Cassandra continued to tear her hair out in protest.

The Hissing Wastes, if there were any indication, was a clear example of Lady Trevelyan's growing lack of self-control. After scouring the large empty-like terrain and uncovering bounties of whiskies and brandies, their leader became nothing more than a husk that couldn't walk without stumbling or talk without slurring. She attempted to prove her worth against Cassandra's insistance to return to Skyhold for recovery by taking on scattered encampments of Venatori agents. Technically her will had suceeded the endeavor but it only ended in a surprising ambush of a herd of Brontos and young Wyverns near the last camp they cleared. It was fortunate that Cassandra was a skilled and durable warrior to ensure their safety after the Inquisitor passed out head-first into the sand. The former Seeker was not pleased that she ended the tiresome and challenging battle carrying the incapacitated Inquisitor to camp. 

The least he could do was to satisfy ANY course of direction that was healthier than the one she had been on for weeks. She had been nothing but kind to him and showed great respect to his counsel whenever he gave it. 

As he got closer to the door, he started to hear murmurs and grunts he didn't expect and had a hard time deciphering what they meant. At first he thought the Inquisitor was exercising to increase her fatigue to be able to sleep (in the past, she had difficulties sleeping due to the amount of stress she faced each day) but then the noises grew more distinguishing.

"Ohhh ! Ah ! How are you- d-don't stop..yes ! OHHHH!" Groaned a feminine voice that clearly wasn't Trevelyan's. 

Solas stopped dead in his tracks, realizing his error for approaching his friend's chambers at this late and clearly private hour. 

"AHHH ! Oh, Inquisitor ! Don't stop !" The voice continued that seemed to increase in volume. He couldn't place who she was nor did he care to spend his time to find out- Trevelyan obviously found ANOTHER viable distraction.

The entire small room of the staircase seemed to echo that distraction as he quickly retreated to his exit, hoping the inhuman sounds that followed would be forgotten once he went back to painting.


	7. Chapter 7

Morrigan returned to her human form as soon as she arrived back at the garden in the late of night. To her mortification, she failed to find the blasted grimoire and had spent a great deal of time searching for it as quietly as possible while the Inquisitor slept soundly after their liaision.

It wasn't like anything could had disturbed the high-born's exhausted slumber, not even the roar of a dragon. It was laughable because from HOURS of...unexpected yet confusing trials of their intimate encounter, Morrigan was the one whom endured the attention. It seemed Trevelyan really was a "power-top" - her persistence was to please her and the more she accomplished the task - the more satisfied she became. Morrigan was absolutely appalled how quickly her body betrayed her- she never planned for their course to be very long but Trevelyan was very skilled and was as energetic in bed as she was on the battlefield. The witch grossly under-estimated her and paid the price for it by enduring a most confusing and disturbing relevation of her capacity to enjoy the company of the same gender.

It didn't make sense. It COULDN'T make sense. If the Inquisitor were a mage than she COULD reason to herself that she simply cast a high-tiered charm spell (one strong enough to overcome HER treshold) that limited her inhibitions and tossed her into the most boundless and deeply satisfying sexual experience she has ever had. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and she couldn't decide which devastated her more: not finding the sole reason why she went through the trouble in the first place OR the knowledge that she had reached her finish SEVERAL times from a woman she only met days ago. She didn't think the feat was possible due to her apparent LACK of exploration and it nerved her how vulnerable it made her feel.

Her plan to retrieve the book was a huge failure. She examined every bookshelf within the Inquisitor's chambers, every chest and dresser, and any insignificant areas where the book may be and she found nothing. The possibility that Trevelyan had hidden it in the most obscure and unexpected place was unlikely for Morrigan was certain she combed through every inch of the room. She either has another room that she spends some of her recreational time in, where the book could had been stashed...OR someone else got to it first. The Inquisitor seemed apprehensive about giving it to anyone and kept it on her person like a dark secret to be forever buried so the chances of her giving it to any of her associates were remote.

The Witch could only pace around the gazebo with a slight limp (she was tremendously sore) as she pondered where else it could be. There MUST be somewhere else the Inquisitor goes at her leisure. Perhaps she didn't trust to have her private things gathered in her chambers; a woman of her authority and constant trials would require MANY of her advisors to interrupt her privacy if it were necessary. Empress Celene had a secondary den where she kept her hidden things undisturbed by the servants and any wandering spies looking for anything to exploit. Even the loathsome and gluttonous nobles of the court had their secret places where they may indulge in their basic impulses. Trevelyan was noble-born..perhaps she had her ways to isolate and contain the components of her secret life that she did not wish for others to know. It had to be somewhere in the castle..somewhere there would be less people.

Morrigan looked up at the dark sky where the cresent moon taunted her like it KNEW what she had tried to do. Somehow it was mocking her like Flemeth would..she could practically hear what the abominable woman would say with her condescending cackle.

She had bearly explored Skyhold to its entirety since she arrived and understood it to be a fortress that held the remnants of old magic from an ancient time. From what she learned in Orlais, when she occasionally pried through Nobles' belongings to extract any evidence of ill-will against Celene, she understood they had their secrets in basements and attics. Perhaps Trevelyan acquired a place in the bowels of the castle itself..it was large enough to certainly have rooms below the main hall. 

That must be it. All she had to do was to search beneath the surface. Determining the placement of the moon, there were mere hours left before dawn. Perhaps if she hurried she could cover some ground while the residents of Skyhold still slept.

Suddenly, she felt a presence disturb her frantic planning- she quickly returned her focus to the garden's confines where she discovered a familiar and unwelcoming figure near the exit that led to the Main Hall.

Morrigan reserved her internal need to groan in disappointment (as if she could still have the ability to groan at all from what she had endured in the Inquisitor's chambers) as the Spymaster approached her with an obvious confidence. Will inconveniences ever cease ? The fact that she was here meant that she was onto her.

The Witch maintained her passiveness, daring not to give the Bard the satisfaction of extracting ANY information from the merest of twitches despite the dark that surrounded them. From what she had heard, Leliana had became very capable since she earned her position as Left Hand to the late Divine and eventually the Spymaster of the growing Inquisition. There wasn't a whisper she couldn't hear and the last thing she needed was to deal with her cloak and dagger whims of superiority. The years had sculpted her to be more insufferable than when they had first met, a notable trait that she deemed impossible to improve.

"Taking a late-night stroll, Morrigan ?" The Bard said, which oozed with suspicion.

The Witch could safely assume she must had recieved word from one of her little spies within Skyhold. It was foolish to think she wouldn't have her scouts planted at every corner, given to her notorious paranoia. It's likely she had them noting her every movement the moment she had arrived from Orlais.

"No. I'm summoning demons from the crypts of the Hold to seize slumbering children from their beds to boil in my cauldron for stew. What do you want, Bard ?" Morrigan snorted sarcastically, inviting her to be direct rather than to suffer her game.

The woman may have SOME poise to manipulation by exploiting any target's weakness but she lacked finesse. She always did.

"You're awfully defensive to assume I want anything."

Morrigan kept in mind to keep her distance, fortunately the night's veil masked the marks on her neck and chest but if she got any closer- Leliana would detect the scent of her previous activities.

She leaned against one of the gazebo's pillars to portray some fragment of casuality, " Then I am to assume the nights grant you little reprieve in your little tower of birds. Your degree of profession is demanding, considering the success the Inquisition had wrought so far. Tis' no wonder you continue to follow shadows past the twilight of the night, hoping to unsurp ANY and ALL happenings under your watchful eye. Must be an impulse one can hardly control and the effects of sleep deprivation are harmful to one's complexion, I'm told. Such a pity; I could brew a balm that may help diminish those ghastly dark circles forming beneath your eyes like crop circles."

Perhaps it was too soon and amateurish to intimidate her but the Witch couldn't help but feel cornered despite the distance between them. The Bard was watching her intently, she could feel it.

"That would be very kind of you. I must say your generousity has improved over the years..first, the Orlesian throne and now, the Inquisition. You have wasted no time offering your services to Lady Trevelyan."

She knows SOMETHING. She was baiting her. Morrigan maintained her posture.

"From an outside perspective, someone COULD interpret your willingness to serve a source of power as intent to earn something beneficial from it..but here you are being selfless." She continued.

Her words were dripping with accusations and aggressively so..which meant she was trying to get information. And THAT meant she didn't know what she was up to specifically but was determined to find out. It was niave of her to think she could retrieve anything from her other than a well placed slap across her smugged face. Morrigan figured her spies must had spotted her conversing with the Inquisitor in the courtyard- the close proximity must had tipped her off of her alternate agenda.

"Yes, well, you know me..always charitable." Morrigan retorted, concluding that there was no possibility she could wander the castle without shape-shifting into a small enough creature to go unnoticed.

Leliana allowed a pregnant silence to engulf between them, likely trying to compel her to react but Morrigan remained firm.

"I don't know what you're after, Morrigan, but the Inquisitor is no fool." The Spymaster finally said with a quieter yet threatening tone.

Morrigan felt the need to release a throaty laugh at the statement but held it in. "Now who is being defensive ? Can my reasons to aid a noble cause, such as saving the world, be genuine ?"

"They could be but you and I both know how transactional your reasons can be. You hardly do anything for someone else unless there was something to gain."

"Self-preservation doesn't count as something to gain ?" Morrigan could feel Leliana's iron-grip on her nonchalant facade begin to unravel.

"If it WERE self-preservation, I doubt it would cost you your dignity by the way you threw yourself at the Inquisitor today..coyness doesn't suit you, Morrigan."

The Witch of the Wilds wondered when the Bard would crack. Even with the cloak of night, she could see her fists rolled up against her sides that indicated strong indignation. Her choice of words was interesting as well..depicting something she didn't expect but it made sense given Leliana's willful condemnation.

Entertaining the new concept caused her to chuckle, "Oh. I see." Her chuckle evolved into a short laugh- undoubtedly provoking her audience. "Evidently, some things resist change. Tell me, Leliana, are you confronting me for the safety of the Inquisitior's well-being as the Spymaster OR as that niave little Bard that sings songs and tells stories by the campfire for attention ?"

The atmosphere thickened between them.

"And what does THAT mean ?"

"It means you did not wait behind a corner in the garden, in the dead of night, for me to appear so you can intimidate me enough to determine what kind of ill-will I have against the Inquisitor. Twas to determine my intentions WITH the Inquisitor. You are jealous." Morrigan declared, blissfully aware that she now had the upperhand in their mental game.

"Y-you're relentless, Witch. You loathe contact with any living thing. You would not entertain Lady Trevelyan's attentions without an agenda and I'm going to find out what it is."

More accusatory.

"Motivations have a way of confusing the intent but you are free to do what you please, Bard. I suspect anyone that is friendly towards the object of your desire receives the same treatment. It would be FAR too much for you to do anything else such as to be friendly yourself. Oh no, your profession demands you to keep everyone at a distance..or so you had clearly convinced yourself."

Leliana digested her insight rather calmly compared to what Morrigan had expected. She was prepared for an assault if their little consultation went awry. The Bard simply stood there like one of the Andrastian statues in the garden.

"Sleep well, Morrigan...and perhaps lay off the children-stew for awhile. A lady must keep her figure, afterall." The Spymaster finally said before turning around and leaving through the exit.

She will, no doubt, return to her little perch to formulate constructive ways to keep surveillance on her.

Wonderful. If only she had found the detestable book then Leliana's invasive pursuit wouldn't matter. NOW she was left with the perplexity of the liasion's aftermath, the urgency to find Flemeth's grimoire, AND the Bard's expected obstacles that will make her goal more difficult to obtain. She couldn't help but to bitterly accept the fact that her difficult evening ended with the bitch calling her fat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morrigan and Leliana are so passive aggressive when they're together. It amuses me to no end. -Avidvice (avie1821@aim.com)


	8. Chapter 8

The advisers waited by the War Table expectantly and with genuine surprise that the Inquisitor requested a meeting in the early hours of the morning. It was rare for her to be the first one to organize it because she often despaired over it in the past and did much to avoid it. Josephine couldn't help but take it as a good sign for better things to come and assumed Lady Trevelyan had overcame her struggles from securing Orlais's throne and wished to continue her difficult path to defeat Corypheus by continuing her investigation on the Grey Wardens.

The Champion of Kirkwall and Warden Stroud SHOULD be very close to their destination, near the fortress of Adamant. There was much to do concerning HOW the Inquisition will proceed; Commander Cullen had assembled his men for the siege but desired to go over the battle plans with the Inquisitor to be certain their preparation will be just. The Inquisition's soldiers were more than ready to disembark and the necessary supplies were accounted for. Leliana's scouts around the territory remained vigilant for any changes to Adamant and so far reported no distinguishing leads other than a great many Wardens remained within. It was a bleak endeavor, to challenge the Grey Wardens that were manipulated by Corypheus's grasp and the three of them knew the outcome would likely call for the death of many but Inquisitor Trevelyan had ways to persuade people. It's possible that she could turn it around and convince the Wardens that they have been tricked. Not ONLY she would once again cripple Corypheus's allied forces by using them against him, but she could preserve what was left of the ancient Grey Warden order. Afterall, they would always be needed for the generations to come. It was hopeful speculation but Josephine couldn't help but feel weighted by the unlikelihood the Order would survive unscathed. Adamant seems to be the last obstacle the Inquisition had to face before dealing with Corypheus more directly.

She examined Commander Cullen that was looking over his stack of notes and maps that he, undoubtedly, worked on for the past couple of days. They were outlines of potential battle formations and blue prints of the fortress itself; the more he looked over them- the more pride seemed to radiate from his determination. He was in good spirits and ready to jump back into work.

The Ambassador continued her examination to Leliana as she pretended to scribble on her makeshift clipboard. In a dramatic contrast, the Spymaster looked positively dreary. Moreso than usual, she noted. Her friend looked as though she hadn't slept and something irritated her to no end. She fiercely wondered if her reservations about Morrigan continued to vex her; sadly, she had a habit of not letting things go if her paranoia exaggerated caution. It became abundantly clear that her inclinations towards Inquisitor Trevelyan encouraged her to be overly protective. Josephine decided to try to speak to her later in private before she tries to do something regrettable and dangerous...like attempting an assasination on Morrigan OR provoking the Inquisitor's wrath by stalking her more obsessively. Either scenerio would call attention to it and their guests and allies' impression of the Inquisition would dwindle. She couldn't let that happen.

The War Room's door swung open and the three of them straightened in attention but discovered it was only Cassandra.

"Lady Cassandra, is there something wrong ?" Josephine asked, hoping that there wasn't. By the look of things, they couldn't deal with another internal conflict.

The Nevarran warrior, as stoic as always, closed the door behind her, "No. The Inquisitor requested my participation in the meeting today. Do you know what this is about ?"

"My bet is on our course to Adamant. Our forces are ready to be deployed and the longer we wait, the more Grey Wardens will be sacrificed to demons." Commander Cullen said with determination. He leaned his arm against the hilt of his sword that was fastened to his waist, as he usually does. "With your experience on the field, Cassandra, the Inquisitor intends to take you with her charges when we attack."

It was a safe assumption. Cassandra was an incredible warrior with unshakable will and her experience to lead would identify her as a favorable candidate to help the Inquisitor. Bringing her into what was expected to be a terrain filled with corrupted Grey Wardens and demons would be wise AND it lessens the chances of Trevelyan bringing Sera along. Everytime the Red Jenny agent travelled with the Inquisitor there was always trouble. She wasn't the best role-model either- always provoking the Inquisitor to drink and prank unsuspecting villagers (that were traumatized by the demons' destruction across Thedas) rather than to rest and organize sound strategies for their next task. Josephine noted to send an apology to Teryn Eamon when he returns to Redcliffe, his people spent days of back-breaking labor scrubbing and chipping away provacative images of body parts that graffitied the entire village. Then there was the matter of explaining WHY every muffin in town was defiled..

"I have no doubts that the endeavor will be difficult..in fact, I have some reservations about killing any Grey Wardens. There are many good men and women in the Order just as there were among the Templars and the Seekers." Cassandra said as she examined Cullen's notes, " I know what must be done but I can't help but think of the consequences when all of this is over."

"Indeed. Thedas will be in a fragile state for years to come. The destruction of the Templar Order...the Grey Wardens..even the mages's newly gained liberation..the world will be in an unusual flux. The leaders of each providence will be looked at to promote order and security. Let us hope they are prepared for the task." Josephine agreed.

That was another tremendous concept to consider and she wasn't looking forward to the civil war that will LIKELY transpire. History had a way of repeating itself but she musn't focus on it now. There was still the matter of saving the world before trying to figure out how to heal it.

Just when the bleak reflection cascaded throughout the room, the door swung open again, revealing the Inquisitor in an obvious good mood. To everyone's surprise, she was clean and dressed in clothes without a wine stain in sight. What was more unsuspecting was the gleam of her smile and the twinkle of her eyes that portrayed the illuminance of true bliss.

"My friends !" She exclaimed, slamming the door shut with a backwards kick, "Isn't it a good morning ? The weather is just perfect !"

Their astonishment united into alarm to see such change from the woman that had been in a deplorable mood for days before. It hardly took an expert to notice Trevelyan was clear-eyed and her breath lacked the familiar smell of her usual morning whiskey that would coax her out of bed. The Ambassador rested her clipboard on the table and took out her fan, fiercely wondering what had transpired in the small hours to produce such a miraculous recovery. From a quick side glance at her colleagues, she noted that Leliana was more disturbed than relieved.

"Yes..it is an agreeable morning, my Lady." She said, wondering if it were possible that Trevelyan had been possessed by a demon.

"You are certainly in good spirits, I take it you are confident to proceed with our siege on Adamant ?" Cullen hesitantly replied.

"Hm ? Oh right ! Yes, I have been thinking about our due course. Are the troops ready ?" The Inquisitor said as she put her hands on her hips while examining the maps he had laid out on the table. For once, it appeared she was actually reading them and not pretending to.

"They are, Inquisitor. We merely wait for your permission to begin deployment. It should take a few days for their arrival and make camp outside the borders. The battling ram will take time to arrive as well but we will need it to break open the doors." Cullen said wearily; Josephine can only assume he was still absorbing the shock that they were discussing something productive.

"Wonderful. Begin the arrangements, Cullen. What's this here ?" She asked as she picked up a piece of parchment.

"That is my recommended battle formation. I suggest we have a separated force try to enter the fortress through the battlements by ladders-distracting the opposition there while the ground team charges through the front gate."

"A sound strategy. Well done. We'll need pretty tall ladders to make it work so it would be prudent to take what supplies we have here to construct them once they establish camp. There is no telling what resources there may be in the territory and we do have a surplus of lumber and tree-sap in our reserves from our last inventory check, if I am not mistaken. Josephine ?" The Inquisitor turned to her for her response.

It took her a moment to process the request, distracted by her well spoken and sunny desposition. It was like she was another person wearing the Inquisitor's skin. Her relief turned into uncertainty as she quickly went through her stack of papers on top of her clipboard, "Yes, my Lady, you are correct. There are plenty."

How, in Andraste's name, did she KNOW that miniscule detail ? Everytime they reviewed their stocks, Trevelyan hardly showed that she was listening..often staring into her tankard in distant contemplation.

"Excellent. See that the men gather what they need for the ladders and begin deployment with the first and second platoons. Tomorrow, you and the rest of the army will follow so I hope you are well prepared, Commander." Trevelyan concluded.

She was even using titles now ?

"I am more than ready, Inquisitor, you have the best army Thedas has ever seen- I trust we will be victorious." Cullen said and flinched when their leader patted him on the back like a mother would to her child.

Maker, WHAT happened to her ? Josephine fanned herself as she noticed Leliana rolling her hands into fists against her sides. Not a good sign.

Cassandra was still standing a part from them, slack-jawed from what she was witnessing, as if Corypheus had invaded the War Room himself. Inquisitor Trevelyan turned to her that made her subside her shock, "Cassandra, my friend, there are TWO things."

The Neverran straightened, obviously weary from her unpredicted mood, "Yes, Inquisitor ?"

"I suppose it's obvious by now that I intend to take YOU with me to Adamant so I require you to be in the best health possible. We will leave in a few days after the Commander and the rest of the forces depart. Between now and then, I need you to pay a visit to the healers for a standard checkup." She said.

The room fell into another stunned silence.

"A physical ? We never enforced that before, even when Josephine suggested it before our confrontation with Alexius." Cassandra said in a shallow breath.

"I know but it seems more prudent now than ever. The endeavor we have ahead of us will be no small matter." The Inquisitor said with an encouraging smile, "Besides, you're a treasured friend and a decorated hero in your own right, Cassandra. If anything should happen to me, Maker forbid, I would like the certainty to know that you will be able to continue in my stead. I trust your judgement. "

If Josephine could fan herself any faster, she was certain she would break the fan into pieces. Leliana's gaze shifted to the bottle of antivan wine on the table.

"I..well, I'm at a loss for words..thank you for putting great trust onto me but I doubt it would ever come to that." Cassandra said, keeping her distance from her as if she were to explode.

"In any case, entertain my concerns and see to the healers. The second thing I would like for you to do is a rather personal matter. I sent an order to Bella, the merchant, see to it that you pick it up and deliver it to my hands only. I can only trust your discretion to get it done."

She assigned a menial task to Cassandra ? Josephine could tell it bothered the Nevarran to waste her time as a fetcher when the request could easily be assigned to one of the dozens of servants they had at their desposal but the fact that she asked directly and unapologetically meant this was something she couldn't trust with anyone. Leliana had her scouts throughout Skyhold, which included most of the castle's staff... if there was something the Inquisitor wished to hide from HER than she would resort to an alternative. Already, she could feel Leliana's silent reservations scream; this would only provoke her paranoia more. Maker help us all, she thought.

"I..understand." Cassandra answered begrudgingly.

"Good. Now, Josephine, send a letter to King Alistair and thank him for his loan, blah blah blah..and if he receives any new reports of strange activity in Ferelden's territory, I'd appreciate it if he forwards them to us to investigate." The Inquisitor continued, as if her strange request didn't happen right in front of them.

She was even willing to contact royalty ?

"Consider it done." Josephine squeaked, noting that Leliana appeared more and more tempted to say something that may disrupt the productivity of their meeting. Even if she was behaving strangely, they were accomplishing things for once..at least wait until she leaves. "Is there anything else I can do, my Lady ?"

"Yes..about that." Inquisitor said, slightly retracting back her charm, " Concerning my sister, Emilia." She portrayed obvious nervousness as she combed the back of her head with a quick consideration, " See that her needs are met and arrange a luncheon at my request."

"You wish to...have lunch with her ?" Josephine summarized, to be certain she heard her correctly.

"Yes..it's about time to have a proper chat before I depart and I suspect there will be much to say." The Inquisitor said with finality to her words.

A part of the Ambassador was relieved and pleasantly surprised that she decided to strike an accord with her older sister in such a short amount of time. A conclusion of a long feud that may end in a harmonious reunion sounded delightful and inspiring. However, given the evidence of the Inquisitor's mood yesterday, she hardly found it possible she would reach to a mature and reasonable conclusion so soon. At least, not until she finished off the Herald's Rest's reserves first. Leliana moved her hand to on top of the table, getting closer to the wine in a silent desperation.

" I will be more than happy to assist." Josephine answered, as if she would ever decline to participate in a heart-warming negotiation between sisters.

She quickly smacked away Leliana's hand from the table when the Inquisitor dug into her pockets to retrieve a folded piece of parchment.

" I have a list for you to prepare. I remember Emilia liked to eat pot-pie with gravy when we were little..and she loved figs and walnuts so maybe the cooks can create a dessert with those elements. I'm sure anything you can arrange will be more than satisfactory." She handed her the parchment.

"You..made a list ?" Josephine repeated as the shock continued to taunt her.

The last time Inquisitor Trevelyan had ever written anything was a dirty poem she made with Varric after a few drinks; they attempted to surprise Lady Vivienne with it by stashing it among her possessions while she wasn't in her loft. THANK THE MAKER Leliana caught wind of it and had one of her agents retrieve it before unspeakable harm was done. She briefly inspected it, surprised to find the list was constructed neatly in legible handwriting. It was even catagorized ! WHO was this woman ?

"I think the garden would be perfect..the weather is encouraging and the colors of the herbs and flowers are beautiful." The Inquisitor said with insistence, "See to it that you send an invitation to my sister and tell her that..I am looking forward to it."

Cullen awkwardly wiped the sweat off his forehead as Leliana seemed to be grinding her teeth.

"I will see to it at once, my Lady." Josephine assured her, hoping that she could leave as soon as possible so the eeriness of the encounter can end. She wasn't sure if she could handle another surprise.

"Leliana," The Inquisitor continued, turning to the Spymaster.

Sweet Andraste, NO ! Josephine internally screamed without giving off a twitch. Leliana wasn't in the right mind and anything having to do with the Inquisitor or Morrigan would set her off like Gaatlok powder.

"Dear woman, you look absolutely stunning today !" Trevelyan gleamed, obviously blinded by her good mood, " I don't know WHY you cover your beautiful hair with your cloak, it's simply selfish. I can understand Bull's obsession with red-heads; there is a certain mysteriousness to them..a glow that resembles the allurement and strength of passion itself."

Cassandra facepalmed herself that produced a loud smack while Cullen looked as though he wished he could knock himself out by slamming his head on the table hard enough by the way he stared at it.

Josephine could only hold her breath as the Spymaster smiled, clearly holding back her discontentment and suspicion, "It is needless to flatter me, Adrienne, you know that I will do anything you ask of me, though your sweet-talk is most welcome."

The Inquisitor released a hearty laugh as their audience stayed frozen from the implications. ANYONE who knew Leliana could tell when she spoke with a degree of combativeness. She did well to conceal her emotions from a physical point of view but the power of her tone and the use of her words were more revealing. The Spymaster was upset to Cassandra and Cullen; but to Josephine, whom knew her more personally, she was concerned for the woman she respected and was ready to CORRECT any inbalance with her every resource. The Inquisitor's vibrant mood only compelled her to suspect something was wrong and it needed to be mended. As of late, the source of anything that was wrong rooted from Morrigan.

"I'll keep that in mind..though I doubt my words would be stronger than the show I put on for you ladies when I spar with Bull. It came to my attention you admire my showmanship, espicially with a particular lack of armor. If I had any idea, I would had ensured you had proper seating."

Josephine fanned herself faster as her face flushed in embarrassment, "We were just curious of your physical endurance..I mean, that is to say..we hardly get a chance to witness your abilities first-hand s-so it seemed prudent to note your strengths. I am sorry if I had made you uncomfortable in any way, my Lady."

Can this day be any MORE unbearable ?

Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose in frusteration.

"Well, I'm not sorry." Leliana scuffed daringly. Josephine couldn't tell whether or not she was flirting with her or she was baiting her to extract information (an annoying trait she seemed to have developed since she was chosen as the Right Hand of the late Divine). "Was there something I can do for you, Adrienne ? Or are you fishing for compliments ? I can multi-task, if it's needed."

Poor Cullen, he looked miserable.

"Beauty and wit. Qualities I find irresistable in a strong woman. Remind me to play a hand of Wicked Grace with you sometime, Spymaster." Trevelyan said with a chuckle, "All pleasantries aside, I need you investigate someone for me." She glanced around the room, "And this does not leave the room. I trust you all to be discreet."

As if any of them had the mentality of Sera. They all simply nodded in compliance, curious where this was going to go. 

"Her name is Gwenaline Wilks. She use to live in Ostwick, her family owned a chain of butcher shops throughout the territory but she left that life four or five years ago and joined a mercenary group."

"Do you know the name of the group ?" Leliana asked.

"No..all I know is that they were mostly elves and humans that liked to kill; took on a lot of assasination contracts to sait their appetites. Gwen went to Jader to meet up with them."

"Your friend left a comfortable life to join a band of murderers ?" Cassandra summarized.

"First of all, she was a butcher's daughter..killing things and slicing them up became a second nature to her since she was a child. In fact, she enjoyed it a little TOO much and figured she could use her talents in more excitable ways. Second of all, she is NOT my friend. Not anymore." With that the Inquisitor sighed and leaned on the table, "I suppose she was my mentor in the beginning, teaching me the dual-weapon technique whenever I would leave home to get away from the politics that came with being a Nobleman's daughter. I found the concept of using two weapons at the same time invigorating and she was nothing but patient to teach me."

"Your skills are unrivaled and notorious to everyone and you learned them from a butcher's daughter ?" Cullen said, amazed like the rest of them to uncover the origin of her mastery.

"She was also a self-proclaimed sadist..very dangerous, or at least I thought so when I got to know her as a person. She's a better duelist than I ..probably even more so since it has been years. We were once very close.."

"You were lovers." Leliana speculated.

"We were some sort of variation, yes. She was older..and I was still very young and I hardly understood the world in a way that she desired me to."

"So you wish to track her down to make amends ? To settle a regret before confronting Coryphesus ?" Cassandra asked.

"What ? NO ! I need to track her down to see if she's still alive. If she is, then I must kill her." Then Inquisitor corrected as if it were obvious. "Didn't I tell you she was a sadist ? I truly mean it, she is a dangerous individual. Insane. I cannot stress it enough..she is as unstable as Sera with the killer instincts of Bull and the indifference of Solas. She loves to torment and kill and feels nothing but the pride of her work. I know I will face Coryphesus soon and the one regret I wish to correct is to make certain she is dead before I am."

It took them a moment to process the strange turn of events.

" I will look into it but there are many small groups of assasins even in Ferelden. It may take some time but I know my friend in the Antivan Crows could help the search." Leliana finally said. "I will do everything in my power to settle your unfinished business."

"Do not attempt to have your people take care of her on their own if you happen to find her alive. It is my responsibility to send her to the Maker to be judged, I fear I may be the only one that can."

"I understand and I will let you know when something comes up."

"You have my thanks." After a moment, the Inquisitor stretched out her back as her smile returned, "Well, good meeting everyone ! I feel like we have already accomplished much and it's still morning. Cullen, ensure the first two platoons have a decent breakfast before departing."

"I will, Inquisitor." He said.

Before Trevelyan turned around to leave, Leliana grabbed the antivan wine bottle before Josephine could administer her intent and poured herself a cup.

"Adrienne, would you like to join us in a small drink to celebrate our accomplishments ?" The Spymaster calmly asked.

Josephine, Cassandra, and Cullen glared at her as if she had just executed their leader right in front of them.

Josephine broke her fan; the pieces of it fell around her feet.

Inquisitor turned around, still beaming with radiance, " Perhaps some other time, we'll make a date of it..just the five of us. Clothing will be optional for the ladies. Am I right, Commander ?" She winked and casually slapped Cassandra's behind before leaving with a spring in her step; the Nevarran was traumatized- to say the least.

They all held still as the War Room's door swung closed, processing what they had just endured.

Leliana set down the cup of wine as her darkened refrain returned, she placed her palms on top of the table and slouched forward to think.

"Did..Did she refuse a drink ?" Cullen asked in a small voice, to validate he didn't imagine it.

Cassandra took the cup of wine and guzzled it down before she spoke, "Sweet Maker, what the HELL happened to her ? Did she get possessed by a demon ? Should we get Solas to examine her ?" She slammed the cup down, having successfully summarized what they all felt.

"Perhaps we SHOULD. She is not herself ! She even touched me without using me as something to lean on when she's drunk." Cullen said in alarm, turning to Josephine for her input. "She treated me with respect..it's maddening !"

Josephine reexamined the list the Inquisitor had handed her, "Her penmanship and spelling is even perfect." Her panic grew as she held up the list to illustrate her point, "And look ! There isn't even a sketch of a woman's breasts anywhere on the parchment !"

"Did you check the back ?" Cassandra asked urgently.

Josephine quickly turned the list over to investigate the theory and looked up, "There's nothing !"

The three of them paced around the room as Leliana remained perfectly still in her stance. The Ambassador wanted to believe that the unexpected metamorphosis was a voluntary one since the Inquisitor wished to make amends with her sister..but the amount of irregularities was staggering. In all of her experience, she never dreamed that TOO much happiness was a bad thing.

"What should we do ? She may not be fit to proceed with the attack on Adamant," Cassandra said.

"Should I postpone the deployment until we have the healers examine her ? It is possible that she drank so much last night that it caused delirium." Cullen noted.

Before Josephine could suggest requesting a specialist from Orlais, Leliana slammed her hands on the table to get their attention. Cullen's stack of parchment slid off of it from impact, "It's Morrigan."

The three of them stopped their frantic inquiry.

"Morrigan ? What did Morrigan do ?" Cassandra questioned in confusion.

"Leliana, that is just your wishful thinking." Josephine said, suspecting a tremendous argument about to surface.

"It has to be Morrigan. Yesterday and TODAY, it is no coincedence. Somehow that WITCH sunk her claws into her that made her this way." The Spymaster said with an angry growl.

"Are you suggesting the mage cast somekind of spell on her ?" Cullen asked, willing to entertain the theory. He STILL was apprehensive with all things pertaining to magic.

"Perhaps. I'm not sure but she was spotted flirting with the Inquisitor yesterday."

Cassandra and Cullen lowered their shoulders and exchanged looks with Josephine whom relayed them a 'bear with it' expression.

"Flirting ? Are you sure, Leliana ?" Cassandra said gently, " They could had just been talking."

"My scouts are professionals and they understand the psychology of body language. Morrigan is up to something and I'm going to find out what."

"I know you never liked her but how can you be sure that she is up to something ? I understand her motivations can be troubling to discern and if the stories about her being the daughter of THE Flemeth of legends are true ..then I can see how one might leap to conclusions but-"

"I am NOT leaping to conclusions. Morrigan never does anything unless there's something that she wants. She is very powerful and thinks herself as clever but if there is one thing I can trust about her, it's that she hates everyone equally. She would NEVER throw herself in the arms of a woman unless there was something she desperately needed from her." Leliana said as she made her way around the table.

Her anguish was too profound for Josephine to try to reason with her. Cullen was about to say something until the Ambassador grabbed his arm and pulled him back to give Leliana some space.

Cassandra, having experienced Leliana's mood swings as well, stepped aside as the frightening Spymaster paced in front of the table, "So..you suspect Morrigan is up to something sinister by the way she "flirted" with the Inquisitor.." The former Left Hand of the divine drew a long winded sigh, indicating her attempt at patience, "If that is the case then..what could she be after ?"

"It could be anything..Adrienne is a woman of significant resource and power. There may be something she has access to that Morrigan doesn't." Leliana started peering into vacant space as if she were reading scripture from it, which meant that she was definitely at Stage Two of her fixation.

Cassandra raised a brow as she looked at Josephine for answers but the Antivan could only shrug, hoping that she would interpret that as, 'just play along and we'll sort this out when she leaves.'

"I see.."

"As soon as I saw her last night in the garden, I KNEW I caught her in the middle of it. I'm sure of it ! She was defensive, which indicated she was trying to distract me from something." The Spymaster continued.

Josephine swallowed, "You...saw her last night ? Did you follow her all through the night, Leliana ?"

It would be problematic if she provoked Morrigan into somekind of retaliation- she was known as a powerful apostate. Perhaps stronger than Lady Vivienne herself (though Josephine would NEVER say that out loud to anyone).

"Don't be ridiculous, I lost track of her after she left the tavern...my scouts couldn't find her for the rest of the day. It was evening when I figured she would eventually return to the garden, it's the only place she spends her time at the moment." Leliana said, "So I waited there past the twilight hour until her return. She was positively stunned I intercepted her."

"What was she doing ?" Cassandra asked. Josephine could tell she was trying to guide Leliana into figuring out she has been irrational on her own but Stage Two muted the possibility.

"Well, nothing..she was just staring at the moon like the bitch-witch she was..but she was about to do something. I know she was !"

Cullen hid his groan of concern into a clearing of the throat, " Did you try to ask her what she was up to ?" He FINALLY understood the concept of humoring her.

"I tried to exploit the truth out of her but she twisted it all around and accused ME of being somehow jealous !" The Spymaster snorted ignorantly, turning her back towards her audience that gave them ample time to exchange desperate looks of 'someone needs to keep an eye on her.' She turned back around, "It was a desperate manipulative tactic but it's more proof that she's hiding something."

They could only nod politely at this point.

"I recommend the three of you stay weary of her. If there is anything you see or hear, inform me immediately. I shall try to keep someone on the Inquisitor's whereabouts..her mood tells me that bitch did something to her..perhaps poisoned her with somekind of poultice that makes her...agreeable. They must be kept separate until I can figure out what her game is." Leliana concluded as she reached for the door handle, "Cassandra, if you are able, inform me what the order was that Adrienne wanted you to pick up. It could be related."

They nodded again, holding back their urge to stop her at once and tie her to a chair until she gained some sensibilities but the three of them knew the Spymaster had at least six daggers coated in paralyzing poison strapped to her body at all times.

"We shall converse at a later time."

With that she left swiftly- most likely to discuss tactics with her loyal scouts in her tower of birds. They waited for a moment in silence to be certain she left out of earshot.

Cassandra calmly pressed the War Room's door closed with her palm and turned to them with the worry of a woman in labor, "What the fuck are we going to do ?"

Cullen wiped his face with his hand and shook his head, "This is VERY bad. Since when did Leliana start losing her senses ?"

Josephine fanned herself with a piece of parchment from the table, troubled with the new relevation, "She can be severe when it comes to protecting those she cares about."

"But this is at a terrifying level, Josephine ! I know she never liked Morrigan when they were colleagues during the Fifth Blight but she came here as an ally-straight from Empress Celene's inner circle. I loathe politics but I understand them enough to know that if anything should happen to Morrigan- it may effect the Inquisition's alliance with Orlais !" Cassandra exclaimed.

"I am FULLY aware, Cassandra. Morrigan became an instant favorite to Celene's court when she presented her ways to prevent wrinkling from drinking a potion she created, now patented. She also created a formula of somekind of solvent that dyes.." Josephine clears her throat in discomfort, "...hair in certain places of the body. If Leliana harms Morrigan in any way and word travels to the Empire, then the Inquisition will be looked as weak and unreliable."

"What the hell is causing her to be so erratic ? It can't just be her dislike for Morrigan !" Cullen huffed.

Both Josephine and Cassandra stared at him.

"What ?"

"Leliana...admires the Inquisitor, Commander." The Nevarran sighed.

"As in..more than a friend." Josephine added so that there were no mistakes.

Cullen digested the detail, "Oh. So..it really IS jealousy."

"Combine THAT with the grief she endured while she witnessed the Hero of Ferelden's sacrifice slaying the Archdemon AND her resentment towards Morrigan for abandoning them before the battle at Fort Drakon..and we have ourselves a very delusional Spymaster."

They took a moment to recall the heroic yet tragic tale of the Hero of Ferelden who died when she ended the Fifth Blight. There was no one that could argue against her valor.

"Leliana was there when she died." Cassandra said solemnly, having heard her accounts over the years whenever the former Bard felt like sharing, "It destroyed her.. I suppose it would destroy anyone..seeing someone they love die right in front of them."

Cullen only met the Hero briefly when he was still a Templar in the Circle of Magi, rescued from an internal conflict of blood mages, demons, and abominations. Or so from what Josephine understood from what little he told her. "Leliana and the Hero of Ferelden were..together ?" He asked in surprise.

Cassandra rubbed the back of her neck, "Not quite. Leliana told me she never got the chance to tell her how she felt before her passing. "

Josephine recalled the many times her friend would tell her the torment she felt and the regrets of what will never be. Given Leliana's history, she had seasoned heartaches that could make a golem weep...and the Hero of Ferelden's mark upon her soul was deeper than any of the others. She never thought she would escape from her inner prison of emotional anguish until her service to Divine Justinia provided her purpose again...but it wasn't peace.

"Her grief encourages her persistence to protect the Inquisitor. Although, since the matter involves Morrigan..I can only imagine the irony of the situation." The Ambassador said.

Both of her colleagues stared at her for emphasis.

"What do you mean by irony ?" Cassandra asked.

"Well, the two never got along from the start because the Hero of Ferelden, by King Alistair's recollection, spent the most time with Morrigan. Didn't you know, Cassandra?"

The Warrior gawked, "Leliana never told me that ! Are you saying that Morrigan and her were lovers ?"

"I don't think so. Morrigan does not strike me as someone that cares for emotional entanglements..let alone with that of the same sex but it was possible that the Warden fancied her." She hoped she was being clear. It felt wrong to discuss a painful chapter of her friend's life but given the circumstances and what they could be up against- it was necessary.

Both Cassandra and Cullen pondered the concept and grunted simultaneously.

"It's theoretical, mind you, but based on everything Leliana and King Alistair told me..it certainly makes sense. Morrigan may not had shared the same sentiments as the Warden but she must had cared about her in some ways since they were seen together often." Josephine added, hoping that they wouldn't take her immediate word for it. Nothing was for certain.

"If she cared then why did she leave right before the battle ?" Cassandra asked, which was the very same question she kept asking herself from time to time when she thought about the timeline.

"No one knows but the Hero of Ferelden. She was last seen at Redcliffe Castle when she entered the Warden's chambers in the late of night. It was noted she left the next day and wouldn't return."

"She appeared in Empress Celene's court not too long afterwards," Cullen recounted.

"So..we're dealing with a scorned admirer with resentment towards Morrigan on a variety of levels." Cassandra summarized.

"Precisely. Leliana may be reliving her painful past from the similar pattern we have here. The more the Inquisitor is familiarizing herself with Morrigan, the more Leliana's paranoia is progressing. Or so it would seem."

They lingered in the silence again.

"So..how do we make sure they don't kill eachother ?" Cullen asked.

"We'll have to be cautious. Leliana's scouts are numerous and loyal, we can't trust them to cease feeding her ambitions. It will be up to us to stay alert. I will move my lodgings inside the castle. The best we can do for now is to ensure Leliana doesn't get carried away by taking shifts." Cassandra suggested.

"But what about Adamant ? Should I deploy my troops as ordered ?" Cullen asked.

"By all means. The sooner the Inquisitor leaves, the less she'll correspond with Morrigan. The less she spends time with Morrigan, the less Leliana will be provoked." Josephine said as she imagined the scenerio.

"WHY is Morrigan consorting with the Inquisitor ?" Cassandra asked.

"She is an expert on all things arcane and we ALL know that Lady Trevelyan has a fascination with magic- just as Empress Celene does. It may just be simply conversation. Let's not forget our leader has an uncanny ability to inspire and convince allies to help our cause."

"I suppose I will take the first shift this evening," The Nevarran said.

"I should attend to the arrangements of the luncheon. The sooner the Inquisitor and her sister make amends, the sooner Lady Emilia will leave and we can avoid any altercations." The Ambassador said.

"I'll ..uh..go talk to my men. Let me know if you need any assistance, Cassandra." Cullen said as the three of them left the War Room, they already felt exhausted and it was still morning.


	9. Chapter 9

"C'mon, Cabot, be a friend !" Sera whined as she leaned against the counter with her attempt of a charming smile to try to persuade him.

The bartender continued to sweep his area with his ever constant frown, "No. It's still morning. There are rules."

The elf groaned, flinging herself on the counter as if she had been wounded, "Ugh ! I jus' need a bit of perkin' up. I'm thirsty !"

"There's water."

It wasn't the first morning exchange that they had; in fact, Cabot did well to keep his stock locked until he was permitted to sell to his regulars at the strict instructions of Skyhold's advisers. After SEVERAL incidents of Cullen's soldiers being too drunk to swing a sword, it became obvious that the residents couldn't be trusted to drink responsibly.

Before Sera contemplated a way to break into the stockroom, as she often did when she's impatient, Cassandra entered the Herald's Rest.

Sera got up from the counter, noting the strange phenomenon, as the former Seeker proceeded to the counter with purpose. Cabot stopped sweeping, tossing her a silent short nod.

"Give me a shot of something strong. It's THAT kind of day, Cabot." Cassandra ordered, setting down a small parcel that was wrapped in a red cloth.

The dwarf grunted and took out a brown bottle and a small carved tankard from behind the counter without refusing her.

"WHAT THE HELL ?! It's still mornin', why are you servin' her and not me ?" Sera protested in a huff as Cassandra pulled up a stool to the counter to sit at.

"She pays." Cabot answered without a change in his tone.

He poured the small tankard and pushed it in front of the obviously distraught Nevarran and went to the tables to put the chairs down. Cassandra took a sip and rested her elbows on the counter with a disgruntled sigh - acting as though something crawled up her ass without any intention of coming back out. Sera glared at her tankard with longing but that envy quickly evolved into curiousity as she shifted her focus on the red bundle next to her. It was strange Miss.Tight-Breeches would show up in the tavern in the morning, let alone with a mysterious package in tow.

"What's got YOU so frowny, Cassandra ?" Sera asked, deciding to engage on the SLIGHT chance that her peer may have enough generousity to permit her a sip of her bounty.

Cassandra sipped her tankard again, keeping her gaze forward with the most impressive scowl Sera had ever seen to date, which trumped the one she gave her and Trevs when they decided to put hats on all of the druffalo they could find in Crestwood. " I became the woman that I am by working hard, Sera. I had endured difficulties of all calibers, including the loss of my brother."

Sera immediately regretted asking, sensing the woman was on the edge of relaying her entire life story while she balanced herself on a tight-rope of emotional stress. She was too sober to deal with being the shoulder to cry on but she felt cornered already.

"I was a Seeker before I became the Right Hand of the Divine..and my path led me here..where I am doing all that I can to restore peace to a world gone mad." Cassandra continued with a straight face. She took another sip of what Sera can only imagine to be a kind of brandy. "And do you know what I'm doing NOW ?"

She could only guess it had something to do with the bundle next to her, "Uh, shopping ?"

"Fetching something so completely meaningless that it renders MY merits and previous hardships irrelevant !" The Neverran stammered, slamming her tankard on the counter. Specks of its contents splattered outward.

"Take it easy, you're wastin' good shit there." Sera snorted, "So wha if you had to pick somethin' up ! It's no big deal..sometimes we do little shite but all of it counts for something in the long run. Since when are you so posh about doing somethin' other than playin' stabby with a sword ? Sounds like somethin' Vivvy would bitch about and you're no Nobley-Noble !"

It took a moment for Cassandra to silently translate what she meant. "I...suppose.. but I fail to see the importance of this task. Someone else could have picked it up and I would had spent my time doing something more productive."

"We all do shite we don't wanna do sometimes, Miss. Almighty Seeker. Who turned YOU into the fetchin' sort anyway ?"

"Inquisitor Trevelyan wanted me to pick something up from the merchant though I fail to see why it was so important for ME to do it. " Cassandra said, holding back the rest of the details.

Sera slammed her palms on the counter, "Trevs got you to pick up her shite ?" She snickered into a fit until the Neverran gave her a dirty look. "Well, if she got YOU to do it then it means she trusts you, yeah ? Probably wanted it to be a secret from Cloaky Daggers in her bird-tower."

"I thought that was the case too but I had a look and I don't see the reason for the caution."

"You LOOKED at her stuff ? And you call me nosey when I look through peoples' shite !"

"I..only had a brief look !" Cassandra said between protest and embarrassment, "And you don't simply 'look' through belongings that aren't yours..you senselessly destroy them with your pranks. Dorian is STILL upset at you for switching his moustache cream with..whatever it was..the discoloration nearly caused him to faint."

"It was just hair-dying paste that changes the color of your pubes, yknow the stuff they had in Orlais. It was harmless, he changed it back !" Sera snapped. She laughed for a moment, recalling the savory aftermath of her prank. At least Varric thought it was funny. Her short-attention span returned to the bundle in front of her, "So, what was it that Trevs wanted you to fetch for her ? One of those hideous pajama pant-suits ?"

"I can't tell you. She trusted my discretion even though there's no point to it." Cassandra said stubbornly as she sipped her tankard again.

Sera smiled sinisterly as she quickly took the bundle before her opponent realized her error for leaving it unattended. She laughed as Cassandra rushed up from her seat, "Sera, give THAT back before I make you !"

As if her intimidation had any effect on her anymore. " You're gettin' slow, Cassie," The rogue snickered as she quickly unwrapped her prize, "Let's see what Trevs got that she didn't want-" The elf stopped mid-sentence as she inspected the leather collar and leash in her clutch.

Cassandra lowered her shoulders, shaking her head, "Are you satisfied ? I told you it was nothing !" She took them back from her, "Apparently the Inquisitor has plans to get a pet Mabari but her timing couldn't be any worse !"

Sera burst out laughing, holding her sides as they ached.

"Why is that funny ?"

The elf continued laughing, leaning one hand on the counter for balance. Tears ran down the sides of her face, trying to take a breath to speak without success. Cassandra was getting angrier as this went on, having the time to finish her drink with one hand as the other remained holding the collar and leash. Cabot finished sweeping near the fireplace by the time Sera gasped for air as if it were painful.

"For the love of Andraste, Sera, have you FINALLY lost it ?" Cassandra huffed.

"That's..not...for a bleedin' dog. That's for...that's for HER !" Sera managed to say between coughs from a dry throat.

"What the hell are you talking about ? What else could this be for ? " Cassandra exclaimed, convinced she was suffering from another one of her jokes.

"It's ...it's a sex-thing, Cassandra...y-you fetched her a sex-thing." The elf wheezed.

"WHAT ?! NO ! THIS ?!" The Seeker held up the collar and leash to examine them as if there were some crucial detail that she may had missed.

Just then, Iron Bull and his Chargers entered the tavern with boisterous chatter- returning from their morning drills to stay fit. Their harmony slurred into dead silence when they spotted Cassandra and Sera by the counter.

Iron Bull gave the Seeker a respectful nod with a grunt of approval after he noted what she was holding up in plain view, "Hmm.. I didn't know you had it in you, Cassandra, but now it all makes sense. Be sure to pick a safe word that Sera can remember and stay hydrated."

Sera's laughing fit returned as Cassandra quickly re-bundled her shame; she shoved past the stunned Chargers with an unmistakable blush and sprinted outside to avoid further embarrassment while passing Morrigan.

"Was that foreplay ?" Bull asked as his men took their usual seats on the far right side.

"Stop...I'm gonna..piss myself !" Sera croaked, slamming her fist on the counter.

____________________________

Morrigan watched the horned Qunari enter the tavern, noting it was her chance to speak to him directly. Knowing Leliana had her spies trained on her, she had to be cautious of her every movement as if she were rehearsing a play. What better way than to "pretend" she was paying a visit to Skyhold's tavern for an innocent drink when she was really planning to probe the Qunari for any information that could hint towards the location of the Inquisitor's secret room.

She had little sleep for a number of reasons- but the one she had chosen to pin all her focus on was to locate the cursed book before the Bard with man-hands and a fetish to annoy her did. Now that her adversary was on her trail to determine her agenda, she felt pressed for time. The most effective way to get to Trevelyan's cache was to speak to her closest associates. ONE of them had to know where she spends some of her free time and so far the Witch was certain that the Qunari was a safe place to start. From her perspective, he has been consistently in her company and they corresponded rather comfortably for two warriors that shared the battlefield. Once she gets what she can from him, she will shape-shift into an insignificant creature to leave the premises unnoticed to plan her next step without having the Spymaster and her henchmen follow her.

She entered the Herald's Rest for the second time, welcomed by the already drunkened chatter of the patrons. It was still considered morning. She had yet to understand how anyone got anything done in Skyhold if they had a tavern that feeds their vices so early in the day. She analyzed the first floor to see if she could spot any of Leliana's poorly-disguised scouts but only ascertained that there were only peasants and the Qunari with his collection of misfit mercenaries. Still, one couldn't be too careful.

It didn't take long at all for her to locate the gigantuous creature on the right side, sitting lazily in a chair with his legs out in a half-attempted stretch. He held a large silver goblet to his face as listened to his bickering crew that sat at a table next to him.

"Oi, Morri !" Shouted a familiar irritating voice across the room.

"Damn it." The Witch muttered to herself, fearing running into that impossible elf would be a distinct possibility.

The archer with the enigma of Alistair ran up to her, holding her drink of what smelled like mead, " Hey you, how did everythin' go ? Good, yeah ?"

What possessed her to think they were on friendly terms at all ? As if she desired to talk about what she has been trying to avoid all day. The last thing she needed was to reexamine the most pointless evening of her entire life ! "I told you to have discretion !" She said sharply to her.

"Don't worry, no one is listenin', they're all too distracted over the news. Hair-boy sent some his soldiers to Ada...Ada- he sent his men to clean up the Grey Warden mess. Means Trevs is planning to leave soon..to kick Cory-pee-tits in the balls !" Sera snorted dismissively.

The Inquisitor was going to leave soon ? The Witch realized her chances were dwindling. What if she takes the book with her to the Adamant fortress ?

" So, DO TELL, Morri. Did she use both tools ? Was she good ?" The elf continued to pry.

She didn't want to say yes. She didn't want to give her the satisfaction NOR to recall her own of last night. What can she do to get rid of her prodding so she can talk to the Qunari in peace ?

"By the looks of the mark on yer' tit, I'd say yeah. "

Morrigan sharply looked down at her chest and found a purple bruise near her left breast. She missed a spot when she covered the evidence of her shame with a poultice she brewed early this morning. Damn it. "Why are you ogling my breasts ?" She inquired.

"How can I NOT when you flash 'em everywhere like that ?" Sera shrugged.

She spilled some of her drink, which gave the Witch an idea.

"Here." Morrigan said as she handed her a handful of gold coin, not caring how much it was, "Take this with my gratitude and we will never speak of it again."

Sera glared at the handful of money with intrigue and confusion, "What ? Why ?"

"For your...expertise."

"Well...with this I can pay off my tab and have leftovers for a decent round but you don't have to pay me."

"Take it and have a drink on me. Now go." Morrigan instructed her.

"If you say so. Thanks, I think.. I guess your lot isn't so bad." With that, the pesky rogue returned to the counter with the frowning dwarf behind it.

And bleeding-hearts claim that money wasn't everything..

Morrigan went quickly to the Qunari before she could be interrupted again. She had forgotten his name but trusted that the detail wasn't important. He looked at her up and down and without needless small-talk, he nodded his head towards the chair on his left side, welcoming her to sit down. At least he was perceptive enough to read subtle cues. The Witch sat down, scanning her surroundings again for spies. She spotted an elf with brunnette hair, drinking a mug at a table by herself. She wore farmer's clothes that weren't dirty or tattered as if they were brand new and her hands appeared to have catalouses of a duelist. Morrigan knew enough about duelists to determine the detail; she had to be one of Leliana's loyalists. The elf sat a distance away from them but she wasn't sure if it was far enough to not be overheard.

"You noticed, huh ? Don't worry. Charter can't hear for shit at this range but she can read lips so choose your words carefully." The Qunari said casually without turning towards her. "Looks like Red put a target on you. Can't say I blame her. You touched something that she counted as hers and word has it she's going crazy." He chuckled and then sipped his goblet. "I'll get you a drink, you'll need one."

His experience as a Qunari spy was invaluable as it was convenient. It was clever that he often portrayed himself as an easy-going beast that liked to hit things but he had intelligence; he reminded her of Sten but without the ignorance. He gestured at one of his men to pour a goblet with a matching pitcher. The young man with feminine hands handed her the drink without a word and went back to his seat.

Morrigan thought to refuse the needless offer but saw that it was useful tool by the way the Qunari kept his goblet in front of his lips. Clever creature. Too clever.

The Witch copied his stance, holding the goblet of what smelled like ale in front of her mouth, " I do not fear that tomboy."

He laughed, "Evidently not. What can I do for you ?"

Cutting right to the chase ? She was beginning to like him for his practicality.

" I suspect the Inquisitor has a hideout..somewhere she can be alone. What do you know about it ?" She couldn't afford to be coy and he seemed like the sort to appreciate directness.

He considered her request with an invisible grunt. He took a gulp of his drink and licked his lips, " Trevelyan likes to poke around in the castle's library sometimes. The one downstairs."

There was another library ? That had to be where the book was. "How do I get there ?" She asked.

"When you get to Josephine's office, there's a stairwell on the left side that will take you down to a hall. The library is on the right side of that hall, close to a cellar of Trevelyan's bottle collection. There's not a lot of people that does down there; it's one of the few areas untouched since the renovations. In any case, it's best to go there at night where you won't be disturbed at all. " He answered.

She couldn't believe how easily the answer was handed to her and how willing the Qunari seemed to help her.

"You have my gratitude." She thanked him as she rose from her seat. She handed him her goblet, suspecting he would ask her for a boon in return.

"No problem." He bluntly said, leaving it at that, "If you're looking for an exit, I recommend all the way up stairs. Harding is probably at her post outside and she is one of Red's biggest supporters. Next to Charter. Good luck."

It was eerie how helpful he was but she wasn't about to waste time on her suspicions. She had an extraordinary lead and should leave as soon as possible to find a discreet place to hide until evening.

Morrigan followed his advice and went up the two flights of stairs that led her to the top of the tavern. There appeared to be an agreeable exit from a small ladder that likely led to the roof; it would be perfect for her to shape-shift into a bird for her escape.

"I like birds." Said an unexpected voice beside her. To her dismay, a young man (or so he portrayed himself to be) stood near her with an over-sized hat. "Birds fly with freedom. Freedom that tastes like copper."

By far, he was the MOST abstract thing she had ever seen in her life. Her perception declared him to be somekind of spirit- assigned to a living vessel. She couldn't distinguish which one produced the other- if such an anomaly occurred. WHAT was he ? HOW did the Inquisition find such a riddle ? If he were here the entire time then why didn't she sense him in the first place ? It must mean he had somekind of unique power to disguise his presence for a short time.

"What are you ?" She asked demandingly.

"It is okay to be scared. She reminds you of her. Hair as white as snow in a long braid, like rope. Hands as delicate as glass but deadlier than any weapon. She smelled like berries and grass." He said gently, glaring at her with his enormous fish-eyes, "You hated her until she said words. Words that stung. Words that made you wish. Made you forget. You tried to help her when it counted. Different purpose, different hopes. But she chose. Then you chose. It's no one's fault. What matters is that you tried. The golden mirror remembers."

Morrigan took a step backwards, "You can read minds." She entered a potentially dangerous territory. She liked to believe she had an iron-clad mind but the THING took all of a two seconds to tear down her mental barriers.

"I help." He corrected.

As desperate as she was to leave, she sensed an opportunity, "You have read other people's minds, haven't you ? What can you tell me about the book that the Inquisitor found ? The one written in elvhen."

The enigma flexed his fingers, "The book... the book of secrets."

Perhaps he had caught wind of it, seeing how Trevelyan likely frequented the tavern. "What about it ?"

"The book of secrets. Secrets in the dark. It's underneath where the whispers are silent." He said.

She couldn't determine whether or not he ENJOYED telling riddles or the strange combination of his existence impaired his ability to express a clear thought. He did say "underneath," which only prompted her to believe it validated her current assertions that the grimoire was in the downstairs library.

"Do not persist to read my mind again, creature." She said, which was her attempt to thank him before she went to the ladder to her exit.

"You fly in a cage. A cage of needles. The door is open but you can't see." He carried on as if she were a subject to be studied.

"SHUT-UP !"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra is so easy to mess with. So is Morrigan. I guess strong personality types for fan fiction are more flexible to write about. I will try to post more updates in the future but the cabin fever tests my patience..well, that AND it takes days to have groceries delivered..mama needs her vino. -AvidVice (avie1821@aim.com)


	10. Chapter 10

Leliana entered the Herald's Rest. The patrons' folly immediately dwindled down to an immediate pattern of silence disrupted with awkward coughs. Ignoring their apprehension, she went to Iron Bull whom was caught in a stand-still- holding up his goblet to his Chargers (from what she can only assume a standard exchange ) until he laid his eye on her as if he were compromised. If that wasn't evidence of his guilt, she didn't know what was..

Charter told her she spotted Morrigan speaking with him but she failed to administer the context. This was an hour ago. It didn't take long for her most loyal and determined scout to lose the Witch's trail; Leliana couldn't blame her- the target was skilled and clever. She KNEW she would be followed and likely used her magic to confuse her course. It took the Spymaster all of five seconds to conclude she used her shape-shifting abilities to navigate. Normally, she would be a stern advocate of mages but the difficulty of stalking a stubborn one with a lack of fashion sense made her reconsider her stance. She had no choice but to pick up the trail herself because leaving Morrigan alone to her devices, even for a brief time, was irresponsible since her intent remained a mystery.

The Iron Bull set down his goblet as she coldly intercepted him by taking her place in front of him with one hand on her hip.

The Qunari gulped, "Red, good to see you. What's up ?"

He KNEW exactly why she was here and what she wanted but proceeded to play oblivious. Leliana had doubts he would protect someone like Morrigan, they hardly spent time together to forge a friendship.

"Bull. May we speak in private ?" She requested.

"My men can be discreet..whatever you need to say to me can be-"

She cut him off with a stern glare of refusal.

"Sure." He said reluctantly; he knew better than to challenge her given his familiarity of her line of work.

They went up two flights of stairs to a space that Cabot sometimes uses to store extra furniture such as tables and chairs, which usually came in handy after a bar brawl. The Qunari expressed some gestures of nervousness by the way he scratched the back of his neck and avoided eye-contact by pretending something else within their vicinity was more interesting.

"Where is she ?" She asked.

She couldn't afford to skirt around to retrieve any other useful information. The longer Morrigan went without surveillance, the more likely she was feeding her ambitions.

"Who ?" He asked, proceeding to feign his innocence.

The Spymaster went closer to him, forcing him to go backwards until his back hit the wall behind him. "Do not play dumb with me, Qunari. You were seen with her." As if he would overlook any of her scouts that stood post in the Herald's Rest on a daily basis for any breath of valuable information.

Despite his size, she had him cornered, standing close enough to where he had to face her directly.

"You're hot when you're pissed. Has anyone ever told you that ?" He mused, attempting to diffuse his difficult position.

She pulled out one of her daggers that was strapped around her thigh and held it towards him, "This is coated with six paralyzing agents that I DOUBT you had time to dose yourself with ALL of its' antidotes to be completely immune to a single cut. Why must you be difficult to answer a simple question ? Are you ACTUALLY protecting Morrigan ? What about her compels your charity ?"

"Oh. Her ? Hm. I guess she's attractive in a creepy 'I'm going to shove a demon up your ass' kind of way but she's not my type." He shrugged nonchalantly though she suspected he was pulling an elaborate front, "I don't know where she went. She just asked me whether or not I was going to Adamant with the boss."

She wasn't sure if that was a likely story unless Morrigan wanted something from Adamant. Perhaps that was why she was cozying up to Adrienne in the first place and thought to uncover who else was participating in the seige to increase her chances to fool more than one to do her bidding. Why would she manipulate when she could easily go to Adamant herself though ? What could she want there ?

"Didn't you find that odd ?" Leliana asked.

"Of course I did but everything about that mage is strange." Bull gently pushed her dagger aside. He was being entirely too comfortable for her to accept his nonpartisanship.

She decided to take another direction, "I suppose you're right about that."

She lowered her weapon even more as she acted as though her offensive stance was dissipating. As soon as the Qunari reacted to her body language by relaxing his posture, the Spymaster quickly kicked him between the legs which caused him to lean forward in a painful howl. It was a good thing her boots were tipped in Silverite.

She grabbed one of his horns and jerked him down, encouraging him to land on his knees. Using one hand around the short stub that he would call a neck and the other to hold her dagger's point close to his remaining eye, she listened to him grunt in surprise.

"Do I SEEM gullible to you, Bull ?" She asked him assertively.

He wouldn't dare move for the tip of the dagger was less than a millimeter against his retina- any slight movement would spell discomfort for him. "No. More like incredibly sexy. Are you turned on as much as I am right now ?"

"I'm glad you find this amusing. Perhaps Lady Vivienne would find it even moreso." Leliana offered.

She could feel his pulse quicken from her grip upon his neck. "What do you need to know, Spymaster ?" He asked, showing compliance.

"Just one thing. What would the Inquisitor have that Morrigan would want ?"

He kept still as he considered her question carefully; his hands and knees planted on the dusty floor. "What ?"

"Do not play games with me, Bull. Out of everyone, you are the closest to Adrienne and therefore, you have access to her more private affairs. There has to be something of recent that grabbed Morrigan's attention and I want to know what."

"All we do is fight and drink together. What the hell would I know about her that you don't ? You have your people on her ass every day, she can't even take a piss without you knowing about it."

Accusatory. It can be counted as a self-defense tactic. "The longer you postpone your answer, the longer I'll have Lady Vivienne beat you into obedience..then we'll see how turned on you'll be then."

He grunted again, gritting his teeth, "You don't play fair, Red." He thought a moment, "Well..there's one thing but I don't know how relevant it would be in your quest to start shit with Morrigan."

"I'm listening." Hopefully this was going to go somewhere, she wasn't sure how long she could keep holding onto his fat neck before her arm goes numb.

"There's a book Trevelyan is obsessed with. Some kind of journal or some crap. Written by some mage." He spat, "It's probably nothing..you know how hot and bothered she gets when it comes to magic."

Finally struck with a solid lead, she tightened her hold onto him as her angst metabolized, "Written by whom ?" Maker, she hoped she was wrong.

"Uh- someone with a weird name. I forget. Feli-something." He coughed.

"Flemeth." She corrected him. So that was it ! Flemeth had another ridiculous grimoire that Adrienne had the misfortune of finding. It was no wonder Morrigan was seen throwing herself at her like a shameless whore yesterday, she starved for that book to supplement her power !

"Yeah. That."

Suddenly, Sera appeared at the stairs, glaring at them in astonishment while she held a bottle of something strong enough to burn scabs off. Despite it almost being noon, she appeared to be rigorously drunk- which meant she SOMEHOW managed to pay her debts to Cabot and still be able to have her fill.

"Uh- what's goin' on here, then ?" She asked wearily, unsure whether or not to pretend she didn't see anything and retreat back downstairs.

"Feel free to step in, Sera." Bull said sarcastically, knowing full well she wouldn't.

"What the hell can I do ? Sneaky cloak and daggers got you by the balls and I ain't bloody stupid to challenge her." She said with a pretentious snort, "Best I can do is enjoy the show." She sipped her bottle, lapping the excess liquid from her swollen lips like a dog, "Got to say, I never thought this week could get any weirder. First the shite with the Empress and her pretty ass...then Trevs' bitch of a sister..then Morri..then Cassandra..and now this shit-show. You guys gonna kiss or something ?"

Leliana released Bull as her senses caught Sera's unintentional admission, "What about Morrigan ? Did she speak to you ?" She stomped closer to the elf that appeared bearly being able to swallow.

"Uh-what ? M-Morri ?" She croaked, obviously expressing SOME intel. She had the fragility of a skittish rat in terms of mental fortitude.

"Sera.."

"I didn't talk to her too much..she was just..yknow..talkin' about Adamant." The rogue blurted. It could either be a half-attempted ploy to back-up Bull's story or she was being genuine. The Spymaster had her doubts.

"See ? She's wondering what we're going to do with Adamant. If you want more details then take it up with her." Bull collaborated insistently.

"Did she mention the book with you, Sera ?" Leliana continued.

The blonde glared fish-eyed at them both in a mixture of confusion and desperation, "Book ?"

"The book of secrets. Secrets in the dark. It's underneath where the whispers are silent." Cole said as he appeared to have been with them all along.

"AH ! Friggin' kill it !" Sera exclaimed as she jumped in surprise.

She had just enough of the prolonged nonsense. It felt as though Morrigan was further away the longer she was exposed to the ridiculous longevity of her investigation. At least Cole expressed he knew some crucial detail of the grimoire.

"Where is it ?" The Spymaster asked for more clarification.

"Where the whispers are silent. Silent promises." He said as if it made sense.

Leliana grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up with a growl of irritation, "SO HELP ME, COLE ! If you don't tell me EXACTLY where the book is then I swear by the Maker, I'll throw you in the dungeons where NO ONE will ever find you !"

He whimpered at the possibility, "I-It's underneath her bed !"

She released him and shoved him backwards, "Did you see Morrigan leave ?" By that time, both Sera and Iron Bull were stunned.

"She turned into a bird. I didn't see where she went." The young man said with a hesitant refrain.

It validated her suspicions. Blasted cold-hearted Witch-bitch..

At least she had a promising lead of her intentions. She was after another one of Flemeth's grimoires. It felt as though she were re-living the Fifth Blight all over again. She couldn't help but be reminded of the Hero of Ferelden's passionate insistence to help Morrigan find the first one in the Tower of Magi, even though it was terribly inconvenient since they were up against an infestation of abominations and demons. Despite the trouble the party went through to retrieve the cursed thing, it led to MORE when Morrigan requested her to slay her mother (something Leliana never understood HOW the conclusion came to be). She, Oghren, Sten, and Wynne bearly survived the endeavor and it didn't matter in the end because Morrigan abandoned them all anyway...leaving just before the final battle.

"Scorn that burns hotter than any torch. Itching like rashes that pus and swell. All for what truly wasn't and could be and will never be." The creature stated, "She was glad to have you at her side in the end while she was sad. That's what matters. You helped."

She took the bottle from Sera's hands and threw it at his feet where the glass shattered. The contents soaked his boots as the elf groaned in heart-break over her loss.

While the Spymaster descended down the stairs, she heard the three of them bicker like hens trying make sense of the encounter.

"She cries behind her mask, alone in the dark...hoping someone will notice. A lover lost in the middle of a turbulent sea." The insufferable young man continued to recite as if he were unveiling a ground-breaking philosophical decree.

"Yeah. Whatever. Do you know her measurements ?" The Qunari retorted with disinterest.

"Thirty-eight inches. She got big ones !" Sera said with confidence.

"See, Cole ? If you said more useful shit then more of us would listen to you !"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leliana doesn't play around. I really like portraying her as crazy in some aspects, it gives her more dimensions. Also, poor Cole needs therapy after all that. -avidvice (avie1821@aim.com)


	11. Chapter 11

"Maker's balls, this was a mistake !" Adrienne mumbled to herself as she paced around the Main Hall. She thought she would still have the same confidence she had this morning but the moment she was made aware that her sister was waiting for her in the garden, she felt like her nerves were on fire.

It has been years and she couldn't imagine Emilia had changed at the slightest. What was considered an innocent luncheon to the encouragement of Josephine will quickly turned into disaster the moment they will discuss the hideous scar that separated them. She KNEW her sister and she knew herself..there would be no possibility of making amends when neither one of them will relent their pride. What was the point of discussing the past at all if the conclusion would always be the same ?

"Calm down, it won't be as bad as you think it is." Varric said from his table from across the hall. He looked up from his writing."Didn't you WANT to make nice with your big sister in the first place ?"

"We'll end up fighting again. I don't know WHAT the hell I was thinking ! She wants to talk about.." She glanced at the door to the garden, "..what happened. I don't think I'm ready. I-I don't want to ! Why can't we pretend there's nothing to talk about and just be sisters again ?"

"If you're not ready to talk about the hard stuff then..don't. Just talk about something else long enough for her to be satisfied and then pretend you have shit to do and leave."

"You're a friggin' genius, Varric !" She mused, "I'll distract her enough so that she WON'T talk about feelings and all that crap !" NOW all she had to do was to figure out how to distract her. She didn't have any time now that she was already waiting.

"I didn't exactly say-"

"-Varric, come with me. You're good at bullshitting, you can impress her with a few tales and maybe even autograph some books !"

He looked as though he was less than enthusiastic about the idea, "I've got paperwork to do and I don't think I like the idea of getting involved with sibling squabbles..I got plenty of my own."

She doubted she could convince him otherwise; before she could administer ways to bargain for his help, Cassandra appeared in the doorway. The convenience of her arrival was a gift from the Maker. She may be the least appetizing conversationalist but she would do anything to help a friend and they had grown close in the past few weeks. In fact, Adrienne considered her a sister she WISHED she had.

"Cassandra, how is my favorite Seeker ?" She chimed, hoping the Nevarran was in a good enough mood to be swayed, "Have you eaten recently ? Perhaps you can join my sister and I for-"

Her friend shoved a red bundle into her arms while drawing her attention to the floor, "I'm busy." She walked away before Adrienne could say another word.

"What the hell got into her ?" The Inquisitor mused, noting that Cassandra practically ran down the stairs in a full retreat.

"Everyone has their OFF days." Varric shrugged, "What did she give you ?"

She unfolded the bundle and inspected the black leather collar and leash that she specifically ordered from Bella, " Uh nothing special."

It struck her that Cassandra must had looked at it; it would explain her attitude (which was more stoic than usual). She figured out her plans to get a mabari hound and was likely stewing her rage towards her. Great. Adrienne wasn't looking forward to the damage control; there hardly was anything Cassandra DIDN'T get mad about these days. It seemed she always projected her temper towards her no matter what she did; after awhile, Adrienne accepted it as the basis of their friendship- piss her off, say sorry, and then buy her a drink.

She wrapped the bundle back up while making a mental note to treat Cassandra to a pint later (she does get rather thirsty after expressing her anger at her in a mildly worded lecture). Perhaps THIS time she will actually get her drunk enough to persuade her to arm wrestle, her peers (mostly Bull, Sera, and Varric) insisted that Cassandra would kick her ass because the woman was practically pure muscle. Adrienne resented the lack of confidence and wanted to prove them wrong for weeks..and collecting a handsome betting pool on the matter may or MAY NOT have something to do with it.

Josephine came out of her office in surprise, "You are keeping your sister waiting, Inquisitor, is there something wrong ?"

"Uh-no...well..I was just thinking perhaps you should accompany me, Josephine." She might as well try.

"But this is a chance for you two to really talk. Is this not what you wanted ?" The Antivan said, continuing to look over whatever the hell was on her clipboard that demanded the majority of her attention.

"I could use a buffer, actually. I'm terrible with these kind of "family" talks. Didn't I tell you the time I knocked out my Cousin Kenneth when he was in the middle of apologizing to me ? He lost two of his teeth ! I'm telling you, I'll probably get carrried away and Emilia and I will end up pulling eachother's hair out on the top of the battlements for all of Skyhold to see !" She hoped Josephine would weigh AGAINST such an outcome since she was all about maintaining a "certain degree of civility."

"You're just nervous. You will do just fine, my Lady. Your sister was very content to receive your invitation and she expressed nothing but determination to reach an understanding with you." The Ambassador said in refusal.

"What did your Cousin do to you that he had to apologize for ?" Varric could only ask in his well-rounded curiousity.

"That bastard ate the last sweet roll when it was CLEARLY mine."

"Seriously ? A sweet roll ?" He laughed.

"You wouldn't be laughing if you knew how fuckin' delicious they were. They were deep fried and covered in a buttery glaze infused with rum and maple; it's enough to make you weep at the first bite !" The Inquisitor declared as the resentment of the infamous "Trevelyan Sweet Roll Fiasco" resurfaced. Just thinking about that son of a bitch pissed her off; he KNEW the last one was hers.

Intrigued enough to look up from her clipboard, Josephine inspected her to decide whether or not she was being sincere, "I take it this...mishap occurred many years ago when you were children ?"

"It was just before my trip to the Conclave, actually."

"You...assaulted your cousin for a sweet roll ?"

"He KNEW what he did. Hell, any fourteen-year-old should have had the common sense !" Adrienne kicked over a chair.

"Holy maker.." The Ambassador mumbled in concern, "Perhaps you COULD persuade Leliana to join you..I have a meeting with Empress Celene's Ambassador that has the upmost importance."

"What does Orlais want ? Haven't we already done enough ?"

"It concerns the transference of the former Grand Duchess Florianne de Chalons. Empress Celene decided to confer the judgement of her cousin's crimes to you, Inquisitor."

Adrienne squinted her eyes," Who ?"

Josephine held back her sigh of impatience, "Florianne De Chalons, the woman that tried to seize the Empire's throne by allying with Corypheus. Have you forgotten already ?"

"The lady that you said had such a small rack that if she used a corset, she would permanently buried them back into her tiny body." Varric summarized from his recollection.

"OH ! Her !" The Inquisitor retorted with a snort, "Why should I figure out how to punish her ? She's HER family and her crimes were against Orlais !" She didn't like to judge any prisoners of Skyhold, any decision was guaranteed to piss off SOMEONE in her ranks and it was such a headache earning back some of their respects.

"But she had sided with your sworn enemy, my Lady. All matters having to do with Corypheus should remain within the Inquisition. Aside from that, it is a revealing olive branch from Empress Celene to grant you sole authority on her cousin's welfare; it shows that Orlais's alliance with the Inquisition is strong."

"Damn it..what the hell am I going to do with that bitch.."

"Perhaps that can be a discussion for later. In the meanwhile, she will reside in the dungeons until you are ready to issue judgement. For now, your sister still awaits your presence."

She had already forgotten. "Damn it !" She can't go in there alone..she was already late and she was certain Emilia had a LONG rant planned for her. "Where's Leliana ? Have you seen her ?"

"I have not seen her since this morning, I'm afraid." Josephine said with consideration, "She could be in her office.."

"She's not there, I checked. I went up there to ask her if she had any updates on that son of a bitch that plagiarized my manuscript but her scouts said she was working on something and couldn't be disturbed." Varric said as he gathered his parchment together and took a last swig from his tankard.

"Well I simply CAN'T go out there alone !" Adrienne groaned, feeling her prospects dwindling into nothing.

She looked around the Main Hall for anyone else and only found the usual chattering dignitaries that seemed to have nothing better to do other than to stand around and get fat. She knew Lady Vivienne must be still in her loft above them but she can't ask her to accompany her. The mage had an inexplicable way to charm nobles, with the vocabulary of a well polished snob, but she would be afraid to pin TWO strong personality types together in the same vicinity. Emilia can be just as pious and controlling as Vivienne, it would be a disaster. If it weren't for the need to establish SOME harmony with her kin, Adrienne would pay serious coin to see those two go at it. It would be similar to watching a decent tourney but with bitchy wit instead of weapons and shields.

The Inquisitor uttered a small grunt as the idea hit her, "Tourney.."

"Pardon, my Lady ?" Josephine questioned.

Before she could explain her brilliant relevation, in came Cullen and Blackwall with congruent expressions of discontentment. They both looked at her expectantly, obviously intending to ask for her guidance. The fact that they were seen together wasn't a good thing for Cullen hated the man since Blackwall revealed himself as an imposter.

"DAMN IT. What is it NOW ?" Adrienne sighed, wondering if dealing with her peers' constant conflicts was similar to raising children. If that was the case then she was damn glad that she decided never to have any or to ever babysit. Consistency is key.

"Inquisitor, you CANNOT consider taking Ser Rainier with you to Adamant !" Cullen started profusely.

"It is NOT up to you-" Blackwall interjected before the Commander could continue.

"-Shut the hell up, the both of you !" Adrienne snapped; she suspected the two had their arguments before their arrival. Josephine and Varric joined the fray, one for intelligent mediation and the other, for entertainment. "First of all, NO ONE tells me what I can and CAN'T do, Commander !"

Cullen lowered his head, "I meant no offense, Inquisitor, I just have concerns about Rainier having ANYTHING to do with Adamant. How can we trust him in such a crucial matter when he had lied to us from the beginning !"

"I owned up to what I did and the Inquisitor rendered judgement on my crimes. I'll be the first to admit that I am a flawed man but at least I'm trying to atone for my mistakes." Blackwall issued.

"Are you asking me that you want to help with Adamant ?" The Inquisitor asked.

"Despite everything I've done, I still consider the Grey Wardens as my brothers and sisters at arms. The Order is dying and I want to help."

She could understand his concerns and obligation to want to help save as many lives as possible.

"Inquisitor, I won't stand for it ! He made a fool of us all because he is a coward and a liar !" Cullen protested.

"Maker's sagging balls, guys," Adrienne muttered in annoyance.

Cullen's high standards of ethics often twisted his perception of others, which was laughable because he had condone CERTAIN unethical practices when he was still a Knight Commander of the Templars in Kirkwall. Anyone that didn't live under a rock knew the events that encouraged the shit-show between the mages and templars. Even though he (at last-minute) changed his stance and challenged the crazy bitch, Meredith, when it mattered-there were STILL instances where he turned a blind-eye towards the numerous cases of mages being mistreated and THEN there were the cases of those that were converted into being tranquil over the littlest of infractions. He did express some remorse whenever he would talk about his time in Kirkwall but Adrienne doubted it was enough for him to be completely humble from the experience. He was too hard on people and she wondered if that was because he was STILL secretly too hard on himself. Perhaps he was hard on Blackwall because he saw a man that made mistakes that should never be forgiven- a reflection of how he felt towards himself.

"Let me get this straight. Blackwall, you want to come with me to Adamant. Cullen, you don't want him anywhere near it because you measure him by his mistakes." The Inquisitor continued to summarize it. "Don't you think this matter is a little TOO familiar, Commander ?"

"I...I think there are too many risks. Just because he feels remorse to justify his atonement..doesn't mean we should comply to it ! We need the most loyal and determined to guide our course to victory. The Inquisition isn't some TOOL to use to heal one's mistakes on a whim." He confirmed adamantly.

All she could think about was how much of a hypocrite he was but she knew better than to explore THAT exposition- it would take ALL day to encourage him to set aside his rigid standards and examine what was REALLY bothering him and she didn't have time for it. Sometimes it felt like she was some kind of spiritual sage to anaylze and dictate her peers towards healthier decisions while she bearly established any of her own.

"I know what I am and what I want and what I want is for the world to gain order in the chaos Corypheus unleashed upon us all. I'm no different from every man and woman that dedicated their service to the Inquisition." Blackwall said in a dramatic stoic flare that he often conveyed during his moments of indignation.

They waited for her decision as Josephine failed to assert any input for she didn't know what the right determination would be. Even Varric, whom had the capacity to see both perspectives, remained silent to confer to her judgement.

"Damn it, why can't anyone give me EASY shit to decide on ? Like what we should have for dinner." Adrienne snorted, trying to wrap her mind around her options.

Frankly, she COULD trust Blackwall to be at his best for the siege of Adamant. His courage and skillset can be just as invaluable as Cassandra's BUT his determination may be his greatest weakness for attacking a fortress full of misled Grey Wardens. Can he be counted on to abandon his reservations and attack men and women he would consider comrades ?

"What WOULD you prefer for dinner ?" Josephine asked.

"Steak with roasted vegetables and a bucket full of gravy..no wait..chicken..no-uh..we'll get back to that later."

If she takes Blackwall with her, will Cullen be an asshole the entire time they're there or can she trust him to be sensible enough to put aside his ego ? She'd like to think the Commander would have more decorum but the man overcame a lot to get to his position, including the difficulty of overcoming his lyrium addiction. He can be forgiven of a FEW faults, just like Blackwall. On the other hand, he was the Commander of the Inquisition's armies, she needs him. If he can't set aside his ignorance to help liberate the Grey Wardens with few fatalities as possible because Blackwall's presence will distract him...then it would be prudent to appease him. Then again, what kind of friend would she be if she prevented any aspiring redemption for Blackwall ? That man wants to prove to himself that he's not a piece of shit, which was something Cullen had already gained for himself. Who the FUCK does he think he is if he can't permit the same liberties to another ?

The back and forth mental deliberation gave her a headache and she still couldn't decide which course would be morally and strategically effective.

"Inquisitior, what is your decision ?" Cullen asked.

She looked over to the door to the garden as her idea from before capsized, "The decision should be left between you two alone. I can't hold your hands and make sure everyone gets along all the time. The strength of temperance and understanding must be reached by your own consensus."

The Ambassador and Varric exchanged a look of surprise of her conclusion.

"That is...incredibly wise of you, my Lady." Josephine said with approval.

"..you shall reach that consensus by a wrestling match !" Adrienne continued with enthusiasm.

Her audience waited in silence to see if she was joking.

"Wrestling, Inquisitor ? You are talking about a tourney." The Ambassador sighed; her hopes dashed.

"Why not ? Where I'm from, quarrels get settled inside a ring. Cullen, if you win, Blackwall will not accompany me to Adamant. Blackwall, if you win, you will be a part of my team for the seige. The first one to the ground, by the count of five, will be declared the victor. No mess, no fuss !"

"I'll do it." Blackwall confirmed. Despite his strict expression, Adrienne could tell he was amused towards the idea.

"You can't be serious !" Cullen exclaimed.

"What's the matter, Curly ? Are you afraid you'll get your ass kicked ? It sounds like a reasonable solution to me." Varric said with a chuckle.

"That's NOT my concern. This matter should be determined thoroughly through consideration. Beating eachother senseless doesn't prove anything !"

"Sounds like you're scared to me, Commander." Adrienne teased, "If you think you are determined to exclude Blackwall based on principle then prove your case with brawn. If you win, I will comply to your request and we can all move on with our lives."

"B-but I-"

"That is my FINAL decision."

The Commander swallowed, briefly considering his plight. The Inquisitor couldn't tell whether or not he was actually nervous or simply too proud to subject himself to a good old fashion competition. He would be lying if he said he never challenged his peers to a friendly brawl when he was still a Templar.

"Cullen, perhaps-" Josephine started.

"-FINE ! I'll do it but it will have to be today. I am leaving with what's left of our troops tomorrow morning." Cullen said, simply unable to permit Blackwall to accompany her by rejecting his participation.

"So it is agreed, then ? The winner gets his way without complaint or protest from the loser." Adrienne summarized, eyeing them both for confirmation.

"Aye. I will prove myself with the best of my ability and if I am defeated, I will respect the conditions." Blackwall said, holding out his hand towards his opponent for a sportsmanship handshake.

"Very well. May the better man win." Cullen retorted, shaking his hand in compliance.

"I suppose I can arrange adequate space for the match outside in the courtyard." Josephine suggested, knowing she didn't have any authority to convince either of them to reconsider.

"NOPE ! They will have it in the garden and they will have it NOW." Adrienne announced; feeling her plan coming together nicely.

"The garden ? Now ? But your luncheon, Inquisitor..."

"..shall be sufficiently entertained. Emilia will find herself at home."

Varric neglected what he was working on at the table, "Don't start it without me, I need to tell the others !" Which meant he wanted to round up Bull and Sera at the very least to start up a betting frenzy. He ran outside.

"We can have our match elsewhere, Inquisitor.." Cullen said.

"Are you forfeiting already, Commander ?"

"No, certainly not !"

She could always count on the egos of men.

"Then follow me, gentlemen, and take off your shirts !"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awfully resourceful isn't she ?


	12. Chapter 12

After the unexpected but exciting event that took place in the garden, Varric had never been in such a good mood since the time the Inquisitor played a prank on the poor bastards at Redcliffe. The wrestling match between Cullen and Blackwall lasted for three nail-pointing hours (to everyone's surprise) and the risk he made betting on Blackwall paid off in the end. Both contenders were celebrated men of a certain stamina and the show successfully distracted the Inquisitor's sister. In fact, the hero managed to pull together a huge spectacle in the garden that beckoned crowds from every corner of Skyhold. He would call the entire shit-show an overwhelming success, not only because he won a handsome some of coin from his friends and peers from the bet but also because it was a decent stress-relieving get-together that made everyone forget about Corypheus...even if it was only for a few hours. He decided to make the good cheer last as long as possible by extending an invitation to the losers of the betting pool to some rounds of Wicked Grace in the Main Hall. Might as well give them a chance to earn back some of their losses.

The couple of rounds ended up extending to thirty as the Inquisitor's inner circle came and left throughout the hours until it was dark. All that remained was Sera and Dorian. As odd as it was to linger in their company at the same time, it was also endearing. Sera, as humorous and abstract as her personality granted her, was in a good mood as well- gliding along with her drunken stupder (that she had been nurturing since early noon, he suspected). Somehow she had the money and the generousity to treat them to some top-shelf whiskey while they played some hands. To his and Dorian's surprise, she even insisted to make the run to the Herald's Rest herself. Neither of them could figure out how she was able to walk up and down those stairs with the amount of alcohol coarsing through her veins. It remained a mystery where and how she obtained her temporary wealth but the fact that she was willing to share it among friends for the sake of enjoying mediocrity counted for something.

Dorian came to a bit of a surprise to the Archer. A Magister called for some caution and his lavish background and breeding would label him as someone he wouldn't tolerate- but the conclusion wasn't what Varric had expected. Even the Imperium had their occasional fuck-ups with a hard-on to go against conformity and he was glad to have met him. Though they seem like total opposites, Varric enjoyed his company- he was clever in a sarcastic way and he was humble and stubborn enough to turn away from his rich background of politics and expectations to do something that mattered. What impressed Varric the most about him was that he joined the Inquisition for the sole purpose of doing what was right.

Sera snorted into another laughing fit as she held her cards in front of her, "That was bloody brilliant..whatever the hell Trevs did there. Thought Cullen was gonna win but Blackwall kicked his arse good !" She was swaying in her seat which told her audience how deep in the bottle she was. "Didn't think Hair-boy would be into that kinda thing..yknow..flexing his muscles and all that."

"As...RIVETING as it was to watch, she's right. What possessed the man to lower himself to the showmanship of a dancing monkey ?" Dorian said as he adjusted his cards (a tell that meant he MIGHT have something) and lowered them face down on the table, "It's not that I'm complaining, mind you, but I find myself curious."

Varric started peeling an apple with his dagger, "You didn't know ? Blackwall wanted to go to Adamant with the Inquisitor and Cullen didn't want him to. Trevelyan made them wrestle for it."

"The Inquisitor has interesting diplomacy techniques, I'll give her that. Why were they fighting without their shirts on, pray tell ?"

Sera set her cards down, "Yeah ! It's funny and all but Trevs isn't into THOSE goods."

"Oh, that wasn't for her. That was for her sister. The entire thing was an elaborate plot to distract her so they wouldn't have to "talk" during what was suppose to be a private lunch." Varric said as he cut a few slices and handed some over to the elf; he doubted she ate much today due to her drinking bender.

"Well played." Dorian chuckled, "That woman was hopelessly hypnotized..as were many; why, even a few Chantry sisters were there..gawking at the display like a couple of frigid pigeons. Trevelyan did well but she can't expect to pull a plan out of her ass everytime her sister knocks on her door. She's not going to leave until she gets what she came for."

"I agree with you but you know how hard-headed she is."

"I understand her sister betrayed her years ago which led to their separation. Trevelyan always bickered about it during one of her drunkened campfire ramblings..but she never explained HOW. Do you know anything about it, Varric ?"

"No more than you."

"It could be anything. She hates nobley-shite. Could had used the wrong fork or gave the finger or something." Sera snorted, spilling her tankard as she tried to carry it to her mouth.

"Trevelyan has been known to look down on the over-privileged. Whatever the case may had been, I hope they work things out. Carrying grudges can poison the soul." Varric said as he inspected his company.

Dorian had his resentments due to his own family squabbles as well. With Trevelyan's help, he did reach SOME accordance with his father. Though it would take years to heal and pretend the damage had never occurred, it was still a good start. As for Sera, he can only imagine what sort of resentments accumulated from her rough up-bringing, from an elvhen orphan in an alienage to an adopted daughter of a merchant. Though she would flatly refuse her being an elf had ANYTHING to do with her blatant revenge against the spoiled and abusive society of the upper classes, he KNEW it had everything to do with it. Being a dwarf, he understood how the majority would treat those that weren't human. He knew better than to question her reservations; anything having to do with elves irritated her and she would no sooner throw horse dung at him than to admit her racial identity crisis.

"I suppose Cassandra AND Blackwall are going to Adamant then ? That means there's only one slot left. Who do you think Trevs will choose to go with her ? " Sera carried on, inspected her hand again (Varric doubted she had the concentration to continue playing but applauded her efforts).

"It's obvious she will choose a mage for tactical advantages." Dorian said as if there was no question about it. He stroked one end of his curly mustache as he always does when he's smugged, " I have no doubt Trevelyan will ask for my help."

Varric sensed another dramatic debate in the making, "What makes you think she'll pick you ?"

"I am one of NO small talent, my good man. Additionally, Trevelyan and I worked well together in the past; I'd say we are good friends to the point where she can trust my protection implicitly." He has been nauseatingly proud of his new-found bond with the Inquisitor, "Did you know that we're distant cousins by relation ?"

Varric and Sera exchanged a look of annoyance, having been told the detail well over a thousand times since he discovered the correlation between House Palvus and Trevelyan. Before either one of them could resort to a sarcastic remark to shut him up before he could elaborate HOW they're related, the door near their table swung open as if a gentle breeze were responsible. Knowing where the door led, they hoped that was the case but then they heard the curt familiar sounds of high-heels stabbing the stone floors.

"My dear Dorian," Vivienne said in a condescending manner that foretold her audience that they were in for a chilling encounter, " While your astute observation is correct that the Inquisitor will select a mage for strategical benefit, you are QUITE niave to assume she would enlist YOUR assistance on the basis of kinship alone."

Varric and Sera dropped their cards on the table; their Wicked Grace binge had ended as quickly as it started for NOW they found themselves in the middle of what's expected to be a "sass-off" between two willful mages with colossal egos and clever tongues. The last time the two squared off in a tangent was when Trevelyan had made the unfortunate mistake of taking both of them to the Western Approach to claim the Griffon Wing Keep. The fortress was well fortified and infested with Venatori that she thought it would be advantageous to have TWO mages rather than one. Cassandra had the honors of witnessing the epic shit-show that transpired from the new strategy. To this day, the dwarf had yet to decipher what TRULY happened at Griffon Wing; Dorian, Cassandra, and Trevelyan's accounts differed from eachother when he managed to get them to talk over a tankard. From a general analysis, Dorian and Vivienne had a disagreement that proved to be impossible to let go while they were being overwhelmed by Venatori agents. They were so distracted with eachother that Trevelyan's plan to have a "smooth" take-over of the Keep went up in literal flames; there were more obstacles dodging "friendly-fire" ice and fire spells than there were obstacles taking down the Venatori. The seige concluded when Trevelyan's strict instructions to capture the leader, Prelate Macrinus, translated to him being impaled on the flag pole. The Seeker claimed she didn't remember what the two were arguing about to begin with. When Varric tried to ask Dorian about it, he uncaringly waved it off as, "Women her AGE have unpredictable mood-swings as well as hot flashes that NO amount of incantation can cure." Trevelyan was too pissed over the whole thing (even though they technically DID capture Griffon Wing Keep) to remember how the argument started but her big take-away was to NEVER have two mages on her team at the same time ever again..even if it would mean her death. The mystery became an entertaining story around Skyhold with the side-effects of adding caution to both Dorian and Vivienne's personality clashes.

He never thought he would see Chapter Two in the making as Dorian scooted his chair back with a dramatic flare of properly adjusting his sleeves.

"It's awfully late to be eavesdropping, Lady Vivienne. The chatter must had concerned you enough to neglect your needed rest, given your age. I suppose it's NO suprise to anyone that you nominate yourself for Adamant." The Tevinter mage said with a lisp of sarcasm, standing up with perfect poise (even though he certainly drank enough to encourage the opposite).

Varric looked at Sera, noting the elf looked like she pissed herself from the alarming predicament she found herself in. Magic made her nervous, if there was one thing to know about her list of turn-offs. She looked like she didn't want to be there, afraid to be subjected to a battlefield of destruction- but at the same time, she didn't want to leave either because she knew the bickering would be entertainment in its own way.

"While the Inquisitor will need a mage. She requires one that is disciplined , darling. The predicted amount of possessed Grey Wardens and demons will be vexing enough to be in need of one with a steady mind." Vivienne retorted, dismissing Dorian's remark of her age. It was hard to determine if ANYTHING bothered the woman. She wore her metaphorical mask as if it had been melted on her face long ago.

"And the years of being locked up in a tower like a diseased undesirable while getting whipped by the Chantry's best, determines YOU to have that steady mind, does it ?" Dorian mused, placing one hand on his hip. Varric had to give him kudos for never being intimidated by the dynamic force that is Vivienne. "Madame, just because you had suceeded into being a sheep for the bigoted doesn't constitute you as a capable mage. Perhaps your parlour tricks in the courts of Orlais have SOME merit but your education was limited by the very same ones that you desperately aim to please. It is no competition compared to those that had their talents nurtured and encouraged. However, I applaud your blatant denial."

Sera slowly lowered herself off of her chair and onto the floor, probably heading for protection underneath the table. As if a table was going to shield her from ice mines and fire storms.

"The Imperium encourages their mages to wield power without proper education and restriction, dear Dorian. Without the discipline and caution, Magisters are the equivalent of children running with sharpened shears. You MAY resemble SOME ability but I would hardly call it fitting to presume superiority over those that understand that magic exists to serve man and NOT to rule over him. It's precisely THAT attitude that could jeopardize the safety of your allies during times of turmoil..and that's PRECISELY why you would make a hazardous choice."

Varric cleared his throat, slowly scooting his chair backwards and hopping back onto his feet just in case he needed a running start to deflect an anticipated shit-storm.

"It's not the matter of WHOM was raised and treated like a Chantry DOG..or in your case, BITCH, to jump when commanded. It's the matter of trust. Loyalty is something willfully given- NOT extracted through fear and conditioning. Trevelyan will choose me because she trusts me and I trust her. It's the course of symbiosis, MY DEAR. One can't win a war by tugging on the leashes of the woefully subservient."

The atmosphere intensified as Vivienne slightly tilted her head as if she were inspecting window drapes that offended her, "Spare me the foolish talk, dear, it is beneath you. It is simply adorable that you assume the fate of the world depends on the strength of "friendship" and "love," the dribble one can expect from one of Varric's pieces that he would call literature."

Varric held back his need to protest the remark now that he was strongly considering grabbing Sera and heading to safety while the two haven't resorted to using their magic.

"Difficult obstacles require sacrifice and logic- NOT romanticized lies that fool the ill-educated that there is more to life than hard work and preseverance. The sooner you learn THAT, the sooner you may achieve standardized maturity. The Inquisitor will choose me for my unwaivering understanding of duty and professionalism that isn't tainted by the delusion that "holding hands" will beckon success." Vivienne finished, though her tone remained the same- there was an electrifying presence that continued to grow every time she gestured with her hand when she spoke.

Sera was completely under the table with a platter of cheese.

"What a shock, Madame Vivienne is a cold-hearted bitch !" Dorian sarcastically retorted, tossing his hands up dramatically.

"You tell 'er, Dory !" Sera cheered between noisily snacking on hard cheddar.

Just when Varric thought he saw a flicker of blue energy form in Vivienne's right palm, another door opened in the Main Hall. It was the Seeker; he never thought he would be so pleased to see her. She approached them without registering what was going on, "Have you seen the Inquisitor, I thought I heard Iron Bull tell her to meet him at the library during the proceedings in the garden earlier but they weren't there."

"Fuck's sake ! Save yerself, Cassie !" Sera exclaimed from underneath the table.

Cassandra confusingly examined the scene before her and then gasped as she took a step back when she recognized Dorian and Vivienne's close proximity, " W-what are you two doing here ? The Inquisitor ordered you to stay separated as long as you are under the Inquisition's protection !" All color drained from her face as she realized she walked into another mess; Varric thought her reaction walking into the garden hours ago was priceless..but this was comedy gold.

"Everything is fine, Cassandra, we are just having a FRIENDLY debate." Dorian insisted.

"Indeed, it is just an educated exchange between colleagues, darling, there is no need to worry yourself sick." Vivienne agreed.

"Why are you looking for the Inquisitor, Seeker ? Something we should know about ?" Varric asked, hoping the disruption had permanently prevented genocide.

Cassandra took too long to think of her response, which was a tell-tale sign SOMETHING was concerning but she didn't want to talk about it, "Oh..well I wanted to talk to her about Adamant and since she was still awake, I figured now was a good of a time than any but she wasn't in the library."

"Why the hell would Bull want to meet her in the library ? That doesn't sound like something he would do."

"Perhaps not. They weren't there. I must had misheard them."

"If Trevelyan was talking about a library, then it must be the one downstairs. She occasionally creeps around there." Varric suggested, "You can get there from Ruffles's office."

Cassandra reaffirmed her determination, "I will."

"Cassandra, Trevelyan is taking both YOU and Blackwall to Adamant. Has she mentioned anyone else to you ?" Dorian asked.

Varric gulped; the threat of his debate with Vivienne continued as both of the mages glared at the Seeker for an answer.

"For the love of Andraste, don't involve me in this !" Cassandra protested, there was no doubt the memory of Griffon's Wing Keep still haunted her. She backed away for a quick exit.

"I-I'm going with you, I actually need to talk to Trevelyan too. See if she's alright and all.." Varric coughed, desperately seizing his only opportunity to leave.

Sera dropped the tray of cheese and crawled her way out from underneath the table, hitting her head in the process, "ME TOO! I-uh..I owe her some coin !"

They quickly followed the Seeker towards Josephine's office as Dorian and Vivienne continued their heated argument that seemed to have gathered more steam.

"Uh, is it okay to leave them alone like that ? Surrounded by expensive furniture and all ?" Varric asked their savior.

"It's in the Maker's hands now, Varric. If worse comes to worse, there are enough funds to repair the damage." She reasoned, "Let us hope no one will get in the crossfire."

They went inside Josephine's office and ensured her door was closed tight before turning to the stairwell. "Seriously, Seeker, why do you need to talk to Trevelyan at this time of night ?"

"Do I NEED to have a formidable answer for YOU, Dwarf ?" She snapped defensively. She was definitely hiding something. Now that he thought about it, she had spent the majority of her time in the garden distracted and it wasn't by the two shirtless men in front of her.

Sera went to Josephine's desk and started mixing up her neat stack of papers and proceeded to one of her bookshelves where she took several books out and reinserted them with the spine inward, "Yer actin' weirdy again, Cassie. You were starin' at Trevs the whole time Blackwall kicked Hair-boy's ass. Was it tha' collar thing that got you all flustered earlier ?"

"The WHAT ?" Varric asked for clarification.

"NO. I just..need to speak with her, that's all." The Seeker said all too quickly.

Then, it clicked to Varric as he examined her overall nervousness, "You're babysitting her, aren't you ?" He laughed, "What the hell is Trevelyan up to now ?"

"Nothing. I just..she has been behaving strangely so-"

"-so you and the others thought it would be best to watch her like a toddler to be sought after everytime she touches something sharp or hot ? C'mon, Seeker, doesn't she deserve to have some peace and quiet in her small moments ?"

"Is it so wrong not to ensure her welfare is sound, Varric ? She is our leader often tasked with difficult decisions and even YOU can agree that she gets..overly taxed." Which was another polite term for "batshit crazy."

There must be something else going on..it's written on her face but he'll let the matter go for now, the further they get from the two fussy mages on the other side of the door- the safer he'll feel. "Earlier, she seemed alright entertaining her sister."

"Let us hope her good spirits continue." Cassandra proceeded towards the stairwell, "Well, are you coming or not ?"

"Hang on ! I got one more thing !" Sera insisted from across the room as she opened one of Josephine's bottles of ink.

"Sera, I don't have the time to stand here and watch you disrespect Josephine's office. Can't you have healthier hobbies ?"

"It'll take just a second, keep yer panties on ! And I DO have hobbies- lots of 'em !" She partly pulled down her leggings and then poured a small amount of ink into one palm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe how long this is turning out to be. I tried to separate the sections into chapters the best I can. Transferring this from a notebook, I thought it was a short story BUT I just now realized I write very small and don't believe in using college ruled paper appropiately.  
> It's hard to say how many more chapters there are left because I have tons of typing I need to do still. MAYBE the story will get to twenty but it's a half-ass guess.


	13. Chapter 13

One bookcase after another, she was met with the same crushing realization. Not quite accepting her reality of her fruitless search, Morrigan decided to examine each dusty shelf carefully again- hoping there was a chance that she overlooked the grimoire on one of them. Her hopes dwindled as the results remained the same.

Where the hell is it ? It SHOULD be here ! 

The Witch started tossing cobweb covered books over her shoulder as her desperation soared. For SOME reason, the neglected library had been chosen to be the designated location for all text related to ANYTHING a middle-class housewife with mediocre hobbies would read in her free time. 'Fifty Shades of Lambswool.' She tossed it aside as her impatience flared; she couldn't help but think of the nonsense she subjected herself through to get to this point where she thought it would FINALLY be over. 'Tipping the Velveteen.' She whored herself to a woman with the tastes and manners of a dwarven feral, she deteriorated her pride by associating herself to an elf that spoke like an ill-educated farmer's wife that smelt like cheese, AND she has the caution of THAT manish Bard and all of her spies tracking her movements throughout Skyhold ! 'Vision in Plaideweave.' She was suppose to help the Inquisition defeat Corypheus but instead, due to her mother's influence YET AGAIN, she was led astray from her aid by a stupid book. A part of her wished she had never acknowledged its existence because she simply CAN'T let it go and cut her losses. The grimoire was too valuable of an asset to lose. 

'Slave to Fade-Touched Samite.' 

Morrigan unleashed a raspy growl that echoed throughout the small chamber. That BASTARD abomination was wrong ! With great effort and care, she managed to turn into a mouse and creep her way into the castle; the Qunari's instructions were accurate but what good did it do ? She certainly found Trevelyan's "not-so-secretive" library but there was NOTHING to show for it ! The infernal book wasn't here ! 

The Witch found herself in a chamber full of eerie-titled sewing books. In all damnation, WHY did the Inquisitor have a room full of sewing tutorials like she was a fuckin' seamstress ? Her anger bubbled like a hot cauldron as the final straw turned out to be the senselessness of the place. She grabbed a book entitled, 'Naked in Nugskin' and flipped it open- wondering if tearing out a few pages would help purge the overwhelming disappointment she felt. She could burn the entire room to ashes and she doubted it would help. 

She was just about to grab a chunk of pages to tear out to satisfy her rage when a paragraph caught her eye. She reinforced her hold onto the book with both hands- scanning its contents in earnest for a moment and then dropping the thing as if she had just been bitten by it. 

It was smut. 

Morrigan huffed as she grabbed another obscure book. 'Entwined with Lustrous Cotton.' She examined a page from it and instantly felt nauseated. It was all smut. 

Thus the degradation of her self-respect continued. Perhaps she SHOULD set the room on fire but with her inside it so her torment could finally end.

Distracted by the spectacle she found herself in, she failed to sense an intruder leaning against the doorway behind her.

"Getting inspired, Lady Morrigan ?" 

The voice caused Morrigan to drop the book at her feet as she turned to meet her visitor even though she knew EXACTLY who it was. Speechless while surrounded by smutty literature, the Witch wondered if this wasn't some kind of stress induced nightmare.

Inquisitor Trevelyan had a vague smirk, pleased to inspect the wreckage Morrigan had made out of her detestable collection. After a moment of stunned silence, the Witch realized it wasn't a dream at all.

'DAMN IT!' she inwardly cursed to herself. 

She tried to contemplate what would be a viable response for her to be able to escape the awkward encounter. She COULD say the hell with it and simply leave Skyhold altogether but the grimoire was still a bounty she couldn't abandon. She COULD make up some excuse as to WHY she was digging through a deplorable collection of written sexual fantasies but she failed to think of ANY acceptable ones. Not even Flemeth could achieve such a feat. Throughout her years, she learned to turn any situation into a possibility to seek advantages for her own survival but NEVER had she imagined she would be in this scenario. There must be something she can do. Something she could try to salvage but what ? 

All she could think about was the book and how astonishingly far from her grasp it turned out to be. She had tried everything but the most elementary of tactics and it seemed she had no other choice. She will have to ASK Trevelyan about the book. Perhaps the simplest solution is the most practical one. The Witch loathed to think how much more absurdity she could take.

Discarding her panic and wearing the most stoical expression she could muster, Morrigan pretended the Inquisitor's very presence wasn't burdensome while inspecting the library's confines. "I was told I could find some light-reading." 

It wasn't the BEST introductory dialogue since she was standing in a stockpile of filth BUT she wasn't going to bother with restraint and grace through idle-talk. As soon as the Inquisitor asks what sort of "light-reading" she was looking for, Morrigan with have the opportunity to tell her that she was looking for something translatable and then the subject will shift to her knowledge of other languages. THEN the conversation should steer towards her admitting that she knows Elvhen. Hopefully the Inquisitor will take the obvious bait and ask her to translate the blasted book she had found in the Hinterlands. The ploy could use some refinement but she was too impatient (and STILL sore) to care about fluidity. Trevelyan was here NOW and Morrigan had the privacy to extract what she needed.

Trevelyan came closer with an indescribable expression, lazily kicking aside the atrocities on the floor until she made her way in front of Morrigan, "So you were. I must admit, I was surprised you wanted to see me again when Bull told me to meet you here."

Her last-minute plan fell apart. Morrigan's brows lifted up so high that she thought they had fallen off of her face, "What ?"

The Inquisitor coaxed her by moving closer- causing her back to hit the bookshelf behind her, "There is SOME privacy here but it's not always optimal. I guess that's the point, isn't it ?" Without warning, she planted her hands beneath her thighs and lifted her up-pinning her against the dusty archive of smut behind her, "You prefer a little danger."

Morrigan was tongue-tied again, realizing that the horned vessel of fat and muscles completely misinterpreted her inquiry. He thought she was arranging a secretive liaision with the Inquisitor. The stupid fuckin' Qunari ! 

Quickly, she tried to formulate something to say to stop Trevelyan's advances as her warm mouth landed between her breasts. She doubted she could endure another encounter until the tongue and lips that tasted her skin prompted her to remember what else they were capable of. The Witch panicked, grabbing onto the shelf's top edge behind her, contemplating to pull it down so it may crash upon them and end the exchange but then Trevelyan's insatiable hunger compelled her to press tighter between her legs as her strength continued to hoist her off the ground. The contact and familiar sensations caused Morrigan to release a small whimper as her pursuer's mouth became hotter. No. This had to stop. Deciding that she didn't have the upper arm strength to tip over the shelf that was behind them- she wondered if she could use her magic to push her off (damned be the consequences) but her determination started to diminish. Her body was once again betraying her. 

Damn her ! 

She could try to "accidentally" hurt her enough so Trevelyan would feel less inclined towards her urges. That could work ! Morrigan shifted her legs closer to the Inquisitor's sides, opting to kick her spine if she could reach it (if only she were the type to wear heels). She felt an unsuspecting ridge brush against her ankle that caused her to pause. While Trevelyan fed on the front of her neck, Morrigan tried to peer over at what she had touched. It seemed there was something nestled in the Inquisitor's trousers with a squarish contour pattern that was tightly framed by the leather. 

It hardly took a moment to determine it was the book ! Morrigan vividly recalled her storing it into her pants in the garden yesterday; a practice she had yet to understand the practicality of- it seemed extraordinarily uncomfortable but she wasn't about to waste time thinking about it now. The grimoire was within reach at last ! They were alone and Trevelyan was vulnerable AND distracted with the prize literally at her hip. All that needed to be done to make the evening profitable was to get her out of her pants so she may retrieve it. Morrigan wrapped her arms around Trevelyan's neck, pressing her face tighter against her; what was needed NOW was some collaboration.

_________________________

Leliana listened to the calm footsteps that echoed up the stairwell and into her domain. Her birds above her slightly stirred and returned to their slumber as the flame of the candles faintly flickered at her table. She stood erect with her arms folded as Solas arrived. He was one of the few that she had difficulty reading since the day he offered his aid after the explosion at the Conclave. The convenience of his appearance did pose suspicions to the Spymaster but so far he has done nothing but provide his counsel when asked and kept a respectable distance from everyone else. Still, there was something unusual about him...Josephine claimed it was just her paranoia because he was an apostate. But that wasn't it, she had met and worked with MANY apostates without a problem but there was something attached to Solas she couldn't describe. Her scouts have been keeping careful notes on his whereabouts and their reports always return with nothing; there was nothing more she could do but to observe him for now. 

She might as use some of his insight while he remains a mystery to be solved. 

"Is there something you wish from me, Spymaster ?" He asked, knowing fully well to be as direct as possible. It was likely that he understood the rarity of her request for him for they never conversed without Adrienne in sight.

"There is." She answered as he came closer. 

By candlelight, she immediately noticed his focus shifted to the black leather book that laid on her table. It was all the insight she needed to trust whatever knowledge he was willing to give her. 

"You KNOW what this is, don't you ?" She asked steadily. 

Dealing with Solas meant entering the game with HIS preferred conditions if she wanted to have ANY sort of assemblance with him. Otherwise she wouldn't have a problem applying ALTERNATIVE means to get to the truth of the matter, mage or no. Cole's direction turned out to be correct and though she should feel relief that she seized Morrigan's ultimate objective, she couldn't help the uneasiness that disturbed her. From what little she understood from Flemeth's grimoire that was retrieved from the Tower of Magi, she hardly recalled a difference in Morrigan's power after she read it by her campfire for three nights straight. In fact, she seemed more agitated than satisfied the Hero of Ferelden squandered it for her through tremendous obstacles. What transpired AFTER Morrigan read her mother's grimoire made the Spymaster expect the second one should be no different. Nothing good will from it and Maker knows what dark knowledge stained the stunningly preserved pages.

After she retrieved the book from Adrienne's chambers, which was easier than she expected due to a surprising and convenient distraction in the garden, she discovered the book was written completely in Elvhen. An interesting clue, if there ever was one. Why would Flemeth resort to writing in ancient Elvhen ? For extra security to hide the content, perhaps ? Was the grimoire meant for something else other than to preserve some of her knowledge ? 

The story of the Champion of Kirkwall started with Flemeth's uncharacteristic charity of helping her party cross darkspawn ridden territory in safety but for a price. To deliver an amulet to Mount Sundermont that revealed to have HER inside it. If Varric's stories were true THEN Flemeth's conditions purposely allowed her to evade complete annihilation. Leliana remembered the difficult conquest, she SAW her die when the Hero delivered the final blow. Considering the timeline of events, Flemeth must had known her life was at stake before they even found the grimoire in the first place, she must had planned her counter-measures the moment Morrigan left the Korcari Wilds with the Grey Wardens. Clever as she was old and powerful, Flemeth was still alive. The discovery of ANOTHER grimoire during ANOTHER chaotic time provoked a worrisome thought that Flemeth may not be far at all. What if this was another one of her pre-determined ploys ? The fact that it was found by ANOTHER individual of worth that is charged to save the world from an ancient darkspawn supported the theory. The book could very well be some kind of invitation to summon Flemeth ! Whether or not it has anything of worth to Morrigan didn't matter as long as her temptation drove her to interact with it with her magic. 

Suffice to say, the Spymaster had spent hours coming up with theories (one more dramatic than the last) while she had every elvhen scout available in Skyhold to try to translate some of the text. It was worth trying even though no one was able to read it. Not EVEN Dalish, one of the Iron Bull's charges in his company, could understand it and she was a dalish mage with SOME access to her peoples' lost knowledge. While written ancient Elvhen was rare, she trusted Solas (in his suspicious vast knowledge of all things ancient and elvhen) will be more successful. 

He stared at the book with apprehension and returned his gaze at her, "I have some idea, yes." Good. He knew better than to try to be oblivious.

"I recovered this from the Inquisitor's chambers as soon as I became aware of its existence. You probably know by now that it was written by Flemeth. I have had dealings with her in the past, during the Fifth Blight, I know what she can be capable of. The same can be said about her daughter whom has been sniffing around for it as of lately. I don't need to describe to you the potential danger if this should be handled by the wrong hands." She said, "Are you familiar with THE Flemeth of legends ?" 

He remained aloof, "Only by reputation. Her existence is an anomaly. The ancient ruins I have slept in had given me dreams about those that were unfortunate enough to cross her path. Some believed she made a bargain with a demon that granted her power and immortality while others regarded her as an entity from another world whose motivations in this realm remain a well kept secret." 

A standardized answer but a believable one. No one, not even Morrigan, can explain what she was and what her true purpose entailed.

"You may already be aware that her influence touched what transpired during the Fifth Blight and some might say she played a small BUT notable role in the Champion of Kirkwall's notoriety."

"There is a strange pattern, yes." He agreed.

"Then you can understand my caution when I discovered one of her grimoires in the Inquisitor's possession. Even though the truth about what Flemeth is or WAS remains lost...her consistency to appear during the most crucial of times is difficult to dismiss as a coincidence." The Spymaster opened the book to a random page, " Supposedly, this book was written centuries ago but it still remains in perfect condition, similar to the one the Hero of Ferelden had found years ago. What I need to know, Solas, is what I am dealing with here. I wish to know what this book contains to anticipate its true potential of harm to the Inquisition so I can plan my next course carefully. There has to be a reason why Morrigan wants it so badly and her motivations are as self-serving and unreliable as her mother's."

"It is wise to be concerned, considering the circumstances and distinguishable coincidences. I am familiar with your experience with Flemeth as well."

"Do you ?" She invited him to continue.

"I slept in the ruins in Ostagar, not far from the Korcari Wilds. I saw remnants of your battle with her and how the Hero of Ferelden slayed her mighty form. It was a very close call, Spymaster, and she did not leave that battle unscathed."

Solas ALWAYS explained his incalculable knowledge from his continuous dreaming within ruins and landmarks of significance. Leliana began to wonder if it was just a convenient cover to hide behind because his counsel was always too precise and guiding..as if he were intentionally leading his audience to his desired conclusion. She knew that tactic too well in her line of work. But his remark caused her to doubt.

"She sustained an injury on her right shoulder that nearly killed her, correct ?"

Leliana straightened, pushing back her impulse to shut him up because discussing anything having to do with HER always seemed to encourage the worse in her. She still needed him to translate the book and he knew it..he had to be deploying some manipulation of his own; purposely postponing his assistance by provoking her. It was working. HOW did he know that detail ? Or, the better question would be HOW did he know what strings to pull to inspire distraction ? They hardly spoke at all for him to be familiar with her on a personal level.

"Only her companions knew about what happened after the battle...but yes." It was a difficult time and it turned out to be a foreshadow of what there was to come with the Archdemon's defeat, now that she thought about it. If only she had been smarter..more intuitive..then maybe..

No. She had to stop thinking that way.

It was Morrigan's fault. If she hadn't left then she WOULD had been a part of the final battle and her magic would had given them enough advantage to preserve her friend's life. That had to be the ONLY vindication. 

"Spirits of the fade were impressed by her fortitude. Not many challenge Flemeth and survive." He ascertained.

"It was thanks to Wynne's healing that she managed to keep her arm at all. Without it, the Blight would still be upon us. Flemeth didn't really die, did she ? CAN she die ? What magic could explain it ?" She quickly shifted the subject to devoid his intentions to smother her with her painful recollections of the dead. 

"I can only imagine it had something to do with dark magic, considered to be extinct for centuries, Spymaster. I am hardly an expert on the matter but I find the prospects unsettling as well." He answered as he remained perfectly poised. He was good. Better than the Iron Bull. 

Something told her that he KNEW precisely what it was but he wasn't willing to share- either out of mistrust due to him being an elf apostate or that the knowledge shouldn't be accessible to anyone. 

"All the more reason to understand what this book is. If it has SOMETHING to do with Flemeth then I need to be assured that she will not disrupt the Inquisition's plans in any shape or form and that whatever contents within the pages DOES NOT sate Morrigan's greed for power." Leliana concluded, feeling as though she had earned her victory through his obscurity, " I'm asking you to have a look, Solas."

Hopefully she cornered him enough to comply to her wishes. She wasn't sure why he was procratinating in the first place.

The elf cleared his throat and gave a curt nod, silently confirming that she had won their little dance. He picked up the book and examined the pages. She couldn't decipher any subtle changes in his expressions as he read, hinting that he was sufficient in controlling every muscle to conserve his anonymity. If she could trust him implicitly, he would make a superior agent in her ranks.

Finally he placed the book back down onto the table with care, "I..can't tell you the specifics of what's in this book, Spymaster, but your suspicions are correct. There are elements to it that could be dangerous." 

Leliana closed the book and the relief she expected to feel turned out to be more anxiety. She had hoped she would be wrong. "You can read it after all...is it capable of summoning Flemeth here ? If Morrigan ever got a hold of it, can it be equally as dangerous ?"

"It would be irresponsible of me to reveal the particulars of the book's nature," He insisted, "I can tell you that it is dangerous in anyone's hands, regardless of their disposition to magic. I hope you understand MY caution."

It was as bad as she thought. Maker's breath, to think the grimoire could have escaped her knowing without her persistence to suspect Morrigan was up to something. Adrienne could had been hurt or worse !

"I appreciate your candor, Solas. AND your discretion, I trust ?" 

"Of course." He lingered for a moment, glaring at the book and then back at her, "If I may ask, what do you intend to do with it ?"

She could understand his curiosity since he alone knew what the cursed thing was, "I don't know yet. I suppose the reasonable thing to do is to destroy it but it does belong to the Inquisitor. From what I have heard, she is attached to it by genuine curiosity. She will note its absence soon." 

"I'm certain she will have other interests that will distract her. If you decide to destroy it, I can remove the protectant seals so it may burn. I suggest you make a decision soon. Good evening, Spymaster." He proceeded towards the stairs.

"Thank you, Solas."

He was right. The sooner the thing is destroyed, the better. Whatever it was shouldn't be touched by anyone but she couldn't help but understand the value of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Morrigan, will you ever learn ?


	14. Chapter 14

Cassandra didn't know why she volunteered to keep watch first. Perhaps she felt sorry for the Commander and the long journey ahead of him. He was tasked to leave the following morning with the rest of Skyhold's army to Adamant and her empathy guided her to ensure he had rest. It was too much to expect the Inquisitor would extend him the same courtesy with evidence of YET ANOTHER one of her childish exploits in the garden earlier. She hardly believed Cullen would subject himself to public humiliation but later understood he was passionate about forbidding Blackwall from joining the Inquisitor's team. Rather than to solve the conflict through a civilized mediation, the Inquisitor used the disagreement to her advantage to avoid HER OWN settlement with her sister. They were all misled into believing her good mood and gestures of responsible intent this morning would last. 

She felt foolish for not preventing the spectacle that had every woman and SOME men reverting back to adolescence but at least there wasn't any long-term damage. In fact, when she investigated the garden, she noted that the Inquisitor and her sister appeared to have had a good time. Josephine said later that it was a good place to start, considering their long estrangement. Another unsuspecting benefit was Cullen's miraculous recovery of his stance regarding Blackwall, even though he had lost the duel. Finding a new respect for the man that had stolen the identity of a distinguished Grey Warden, she watched them shake hands as if they were comrades. She supposed all it took for men to get along was to beat the hell out of each other. Still, she doubted Trevelyan predicted the outcome at all; it was worrisome she made an important decision determining who was going to fight by her side into a game like a spoiled brat. Another thing that was beneficial during the entire thing was that it kept the Inquisitor separated from Morrigan AND Leliana. Neither of them were present in the garden as Cassandra kept a close watch. Josephine's suggestion to control their interactions until Trevelyan leaves for Adamant was a safe call. It will be two more days until their departure; afterwards, Cassandra sincerely hopes Leliana will recover from her..compulsions.

The Spymaster's spies have been seen everywhere but their master remained elusive..which wasn't a good sign. Maker only knows what the woman was planning and Cassandra doubted she could stop it since she had trouble locating her since the War Room meeting this morning. 

Morrigan had also been missing which caused the weary Neverran to wonder if it was related to Leliana's absence. Had the Spymaster capture her already ? Though Cassandra would like to think of her as incapable to be THAT dramatic, she still checked the dungeons for assurance. She tried examining the uninhabited towers around Skyhold as well and found no sign of them. Perhaps Morrigan was being cautious, expertly hiding from Leliana's forces. It was hard to believe Leliana would be able to get to her if any stories of the mage's power and intuition were true. She was Flemeth's daughter, after all.

She will not be comforted until she hears from either one of them and made a note to herself to check on Leliana in her office as soon as she figures out what Trevelyan is up to. Perhaps by then, the Spymaster had returned to her station.

"SERA ! Enough of this nonsense !" Cassandra ordered.

The events of the day weighed heavily on her. As if Corypheus's threat wasn't enough, she had the stress of making sure her peers won't kill each other. Not ONLY that Leliana's instability was a concern but NOW she worried about Vivienne and Dorian destroying half of the castle. 

The elf groaned and hopped down from the stool that she positioned in front of the fireplace. She pulled up her pants despite the fact that they were hideously stained with ink, "Al'right, Cassie, you win !" 

She turned around and inspected her handiwork with a snicker; she stained her chin while she rubbed it with her inky hand. Varric merely chuckled at the loathsome graffiti she just printed above Josephine's mantle. WHY must he and Trevelyan continue to encourage her behavior ?

"What the hell is the point of that, Sera ? It will take hours to scrub that off !" The Seeker sighed, failing to see the humorous intent behind it.

"But don't you get it ?" The blonde said with a snorty laugh, wiping her palms against her sides (further staining the poorly sewn fabric), "It's my butt !"

"You never heard of someone getting 'ass-inked,' Seeker ?" Varric asked as if it were a standard platitude she must had failed to recognize her entire life.

Maker grant me strength, Cassandra thought to herself as she uttered a grunt of disgust. She was too tired to waste more energy on them both with a strongly worded bluster, not while Trevelyan's whereabouts have yet to be confirmed. 

While she was in the garden, keeping an eye on her like a Revered Mother would to a willful child during a sermon, she saw Iron Bull go to the Inquisitor's table. Even though she was a distance away from them, she was still able to define some of what he was telling Trevelyan in a "secretive" fashion. As if a creature HIS size could ever achieve a stealthy presence. He mentioned "the library after dark." Cassandra can only assume that meant the two were up to something. It was strange that they weren't meeting in the tavern or the courtyard as they always have done. Trevelyan and Iron Bull have an astounding friendship that many would deem impossible; they had often spent their time drinking and sparing like a pair of siblings. While the harmony was aspiring to the residents of Skyhold, it was troublesome to some of the inner circle. Iron Bull had an uncanny way of encouraging Trevelyan's risky behavior; if "risky" can be interpreted as leaping off high perches while trying to dodge flying arrows, head-butting challengers in a bet to see who will pass out from a concussion first, and continuously drinking SOMETHING called "Maraas-Lok" that looks and smells like something to be used for explosives. 

Cassandra had to be sure they weren't up to something potentially destructive to Trevelyan's health before her leave to Adamant. The healers and mages can only fix so much and they were getting tired of patching her up every time she bonds with the Qunari; some tried to express their concern that the Maraas-Lok may have done irreversible damage to her liver but the Inquisitor would retaliate with the "that's why I keep drinking it, so my liver can be immune" excuse. As soon as she determines what they were doing and how it will affect the Inquisitor's well-being and the structure of the castle itself, then she'll be on her way. At least she remained out of the crossfire between Leliana and Morrigan for today, thank the Maker for small blessings.

They descended down the stairs. The Neverran couldn't wait to end her long day; imaging how comforting a soft bed would be to soothe her nerves. Meanwhile, she can hardly believe the space below the Main Hall has not been renovated yet. She was aware that Trevelyan used the extra rooms to store her junk and during difficult times, would use it as a refuge away the constant demands of her role as Inquisitor. Cassandra could understand the weariness of being constantly bothered with the most pointless of matters.

They continued down the dirty hall, noting that some of the torches were still lit. 

Sometimes it was good to simply retreat from all of the attention and responsibility to nurture one's spirit such as reading a good book. 

They navigated right.

"HOLY MAKER !" Cassandra exclaimed in what can only be defined as pure horror. 

To her terrifying discovery, she concluded that Trevelyan wasn't up to her usual antics with Iron Bull at all. Instead, she found the Inquisitor exceptionally naked on her knees in-between Morrigan's legs with one of them propped on a flipped over bookshelf. They quickly (and thankfully) re-positioned themselves upright in alarm.

"What the hell are you three doing here ?!" The Inquisitor barked; while she was NO LONGER in-between the Witch's legs, she was stuck between fury and disappointment. 

Varric could only bury his face into one palm with a subtle "oh shit" escaping from his lips as Cassandra felt all of her blood rushing to her face while the image of Leliana tearing Skyhold apart promptly took over her mind. 

"She uses both ! KNEW IT !" Sera decreed inappropiately with a laugh. 

At least in this unexpected aspect, Leliana was right. 

Cassandra tried to think of something to do or say as the two naked women in front of her appeared to have the same disability. The library was a mess, books were thrown around like garbage and shelves were tilted and pushed around as if a storm had brewed within the small chamber. She wouldn't DARE imagine how and was cursed with the realization that she may be too traumatized to ever read a book again. 

She wasn't sure whether to be angrily disgusted or disgustedly angry that she continues to be plagued with Trevelyan's erraticism. Why does she even consider her a friend ?

Maker's mercy, she should leave ! Her gaze sharply went to the floor towards a book that was closest to her feet as she tried to fathom HOW she should handle the new revelation. It would be different if there weren't other witnesses, she could just pretend she didn't see anything. But Varric AND Sera ? She might as well drag Leliana downstairs to have a look while she was at it !

Out of habit, she briefly scanned the title of the book as Varric cleared his throat, "We should go ! We-uh took a wrong turn !"

Instead of taking his sound advice, Cassandra picked up the book as her temper flared, "Fifty Shades of Lambswool ?!" 

Trevelyan and Morrigan's compromising position suddenly didn't matter as all of her anguish and feelings of betrayal lamented. She held up the book at who was SUPPOSE to be her friend, "Y-You made fun of me for reading Swords and Shields for weeks while you kept a library full of frivolous porn ?!" She threw the book at her. "What the HELL is wrong with you ? What kind of friend DOES that ? After EVERYTHING I've done for you...the SHIT I had to put up with..." If she could only give her a well placed punch in the face, her rage would be satisfied but she KNEW where that face had been. Instead, she kicked another book at her which struck her ankle, "You're an asshole ! WE are no longer friends ! For now on, you hold your OWN hair up when you vomit during your hangovers and you fetch your OWN disgusting recreational adult toys. We are done !" 

She felt a little better as she turned away to leave. To hell with Leliana's anticipated meltdown AND Adamant ! If Corypheus appears and destroys them all then at least she recovered SOME of her dignity before her death ! 

"Cassandra, WAIT !" Trevelyan implored her as she grabbed her arm with a very moist hand, "I'm-"

The Neverran slapped it away as if it were a poisonous spider, "Don't touch me with THAT hand !"

From the brief silence that followed, they suddenly heard a faint flicker as it it came from further down the hall. Cassandra subsided her distress as she tried to analyze the subtle but familiar sound. Varric and Sera, in turn, sniffed the air.

Trevelyan's desperate expression shifted into caution as she, too, peered out of the doorway to determine the disturbance.

"Smell that ?" The Dwarf asked in a soft but alert tone with an all-knowing look.

The flickering continued as Sera instinctively reached behind her back for her absent bow and arrows (which was never a good sign); the elf grumbled in disappointment, "Yeah. We're fucked."

"What do you mean ? What is it ?" Cassandra inquired, reaching for HER sword that wasn't there. Of all the times she decided to be weaponless..

Trevelyan quickly tucked herself back inside the library as the flicker's pattern grew more rapid, "It's a bomb, EVERYONE DOWN !" She ran over to Morrigan and shoved her down to the floor and veiled her body with her own. Cassandra, Varric, and Sera could only drop to the cold textured floor on their stomachs as a large explosion transpired.

The impact shook the room, breaking loose fragments of stone from the ceiling and walls that crashed down upon them. The vibrations felt powerful enough to surely alarm the entire castle. Cassandra prayed to the Maker that it wasn't strong enough to compromise the ceiling above them as she covered her head with both arms to shield herself from the pour of debris. 

Smoke shrouded the room as the tremors ceased. Relieved that they weren't crushed to death, Cassandra leapt up as the others followed suit. Morrigan simply pushed Trevelyan off of her in annoyance, " I have had JUST ENOUGH of this nonsense !" 

Before she could continue whatever wordy rant she had in mind to express her displeasure, the Inquisitor shoved her backwards as an individual covered in black darted inside the library- sailing through the powdery air and towards her, armed with a pair of sharp golden daggers. Trevelyan avoided it's strike against her by picking up a pair of books and allowing the blades to puncture through them instead of her bear chest.

"An assassin !" Cassandra declared, "He's after the Inquisitor !" 

"Shite ! Shite ! I don't have my bow !" Sera cried out.

"I don't have Bianca !" Varric added.

Cassandra realized she was helpless to provide customary back-up but she couldn't just stand there while Trevelyan was being hunted ! The Inquisitor was more defenseless than the rest of them, not only she was weaponless but she was also STILL very nude. She tried to use her strength to hold the books that trapped her pursuer's daggers. The assailant hardly seemed to struggle at all, opting to try to pry his tools of death out for another attempt. The daggers could very well be dipped in lethal poison, one cut and it could all be over ! 

"Go ! Go get some help !" The Warrior demanded, noting that Vivienne and Dorian were still nearby and were hopefully on their way if they had heard the blast.

Varric and Sera raced out of the library as she charged at the assassin and grabbed him by the arms and tossing him as hard as she could against the collapsed bookshelves. Unfortunately he was swift enough to slice the books into halves to break his daggers free before impact. 

Morrigan rose as her glowing right hand pulsed in electricity. 

Thank the Maker for mages ! One amble strike and she could dislodge him before he has a chance to inflict any serious damage. Cassandra could only think to throw every book she could at the stranger to keep him down so Morrigan can have a clear shot. Trevelyan backed away from the anticipated blow just as the Witch of the Wilds deployed a precise electric bolt at her target. 

To their dismay, the stranger simply smacked it with one of his dual-blades. The energy dissipated without scorching him. The rare and seemingly impossible feat caused Morrigan to take a more defensive posture. How did he do that ? What could explain it ? One possibility could be..

"Templar-trained !" Cassandra declared, "Morrigan, get back !"

"I will NEVER submit to a Templar !" The Witch said, insulted by the suggestion, "I have killed many when I was a mere child, this one should make no difference !" Motivated to execute him on the manner of pride, purple energy flowed from her fingertips as the assassin hopped back onto his feet. 

He continued his focus onto Trevelyan as if no one else mattered. The daggers twirled in his clutch with a few flicks of his wrists as he approached her with a dignified duelist form that Cassandra had recognized from Trevelyan's techniques. The Inquisitor kept her knees bent, watching him closely to anticipate his next move but anyone with eyes can see that in such a small enclosure, she was cornered. This was a very sufficient killer and based on his poise, a skilled duelist. But what need would there be for templar-training if his intended target wasn't a mage ? Was it merely for security's sake since Trevelyan had allies that were mages ? 

Morrigan delivered another attack, unleashing what resembled a sizable arcane bolt (that would put both Vivienne and Dorian to shame). 

"SHIT !" Trevelyan cursed as she tossed herself out of the strike's vicinity, landing on a broken bookshelf. 

Cassandra was forced to retreat back as the room ignited; even though Morrigan's tactic hardly considered the safety of her allies, the Seeker had to remind herself of the alternative. They were severely unarmed and their only defense was a naked mage that looked angry enough to destroy the entire castle. 

How the hell did he get in here ? Skyhold was suppose to be heavily secured with guards and Leliana's spies; hardly anyone could enter the gates without being checked and examined by the Spymaster's insistent protocols. Could they have a traitor in their ranks ? Perhaps Corypheus managed the endeavor himself ! 

The arcane bolt engulfed the assassin. Cassandra began to hope that the immediate danger was over as he criss-crossed his arms as if he were struggling from the painful contact but she wondered why the attack didn't do more..

Something was very strange and Morrigan thought the same as she backed away. She analyzed his stance with irritation and added more destructive energy into what appeared to be a cocoon of magic circulating around him. While he was enveloped and held in place, Cassandra examined his presence to find some clue of his affiliation. 

He was on the shorter side but dressed from head to toe in black. His face was completely encased in a black mask that only seemed to show the gleams of his pupils from the energy's light that attempted to subdue him. Besides his dual-weapon training and his tolerance of high-tiered spells, there was nothing else significant about him. 

"Damn it !" Morrigan cursed. 

He remained standing, wrestling with her deliberate trap. Why was it taking SO long ? Something wasn't right..Cassandra was starting to feel familiar tingles from his pulses as if he were wielding magic himself. This was a familiar sensation that differed from a Templar's ability to withstand a mage's power which usually involved the use of lyrium. 

"Lyrium.." Cassandra repeated in astonishment, "He's NOT using lyrium ! He is not a Templar !" Which meant..

The vessel of energy scattered as soon as the assassin straightened his posture and released his arms from his locked position. It was like the attack never happened ! 

"Impossible !" Morrigan growled, something told the Neverran that she wasn't use to having an adversary that could deflect her attacks like swatting at a fly. 

There was no mistaking it now, "He's not using lyrium but he has the ability to control it. Only Seekers are able to do that !" But there was something more to his technique, which wasn't abnormal for a those that were trained ardently. Every Seeker had their own unique abilities, some were gifted to control lyrium to effectively master the tide of battle with mages AND Templars. Others were noted to be immune to mind control and possession. If they were dealing with a Seeker then Maker help them all.

Trevelyan rolled off the bookshelf with bloody splinters sticking out of her backside, "Morrigan, stand down !"

"Varric and Sera should be coming back soon with help, if we can just hold on then-" Cassandra started but then was interrupted with the said pair returning to the doorway breathless.

They looked positively mortified which didn't sit well with their prospects.

"-WHAT the hell are you doing back ? Where are the others ?!" She barked at them.

"We're completely caved in ! All our exits are covered in rubble !" Varric informed her.

"Tried to dig out. Too many heavy rocks. We're royally fucked !" Sera added.

The assassin used explosions to ensure the Inquisitor would be trapped ! Cassandra quickly tried to think of another way. Others MUST had heard the blast in the castle and it would be a matter of time before reinforcements are able to dig their way in to help. They were all trapped until then..but if the bastard is as good as she feared then he had considered that possibility in earnest. He will have to kill Trevelyan as quickly as possible before he gets overwhelmed. Perhaps he didn't care about his own life at all; he could very well be an agent of Corypheus's. As long as he carries out his master's will then his purpose would be fulfilled. 

What should they do ? For once, Cassandra was at a loss for words.

Trevelyan grunted as her attacker proceeded to come at her, his movements were too quick to determine as he tried to swipe at her. 

"We gotta do some'thing, Trevs is in trouble !" Sera said, demanding for SOMEONE to give directions. 

"Son of a bitch, the ONE time I don't have Bianca on me," Varric growled, checking their surroundings for an alternative weapon. 

The Inquisitor kept her concentration upon the assassin, dodging his strikes just as quickly as he had delivered them. Cassandra found it unnerving that she couldn't keep track of them- it became frightfully obvious that this man could be Trevelyan's match. Her friend did well to miraculously predict his offenses but under-dressed and unarmed wasn't an ideal combination to claim victory. 

"I stashed weapons in my bottle collection next door !" Trevelyan said with difficulty as she tried to stay one step ahead of her contender, "Get them ! Get ME something..anything !"

Thank the Maker for her hoarding issues ! 

Varric and Sera followed her instructions and left again to the next room. The assassin appeared to have increased his speed, as impossible as it SHOULD be, which meant he was trying to finish his task before she arms herself. He was nervous at the thought ! 

"Morrigan, use your magic to try to clear the rubble out !" Trevelyan said after she ducked a fatal blow by bending backwards. 

Why the HELL didn't she think of that ? 

Before Morrigan could attempt to follow her instructions, the assassin moved his left dagger into his right hand and snapped his fingers in her direction. It was then that Cassandra sensed a shift of his aura. The Witch wearily landed on her knees in exhaustion. 

"Fuck you, you piece of shit !" Trevelyan cursed at him as she did an unsavory high kick at his right wrist to try to disarm him. It didn't work but he stumbled back a ways to reestablish his dueling posture.

Cassandra went to Morrigan to help her up but she shoved her hands away, angrier than before, and attempted to attack the man in black again. To their shock, nothing happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update. Aside from a long fight scene, this story doesn't have too much more to go and NOW I am wondering what should I do next. I have a few long stories that are unfinished, submitting them will motivate me to finish them. Which one should I do ? Options:  
> 1\. Dragonage mash-up, takes place a few years after trespasser. The Hero of Ferelden returns with bad news. Femwarden/Morrigan/Leliana.  
> 2\. Mass effect, takes place six years after the Reaper War. Commander Shepard returns and guess what... she doesn't get to retire. Femshep/Samara (not too many fics on this pairing).  
> 3\. Skyrim. The Dragonborn (a nord woman) almost completes her training with the Greybeards when she gets side-tracked again by joining the Companions. Femdragonborn/Aela  
> Let me know what you think.  
> Avidvice (avie1821@aim.com)


	15. Chapter 15

"My magic is gone ! How can this be ?!" The mage said with a woefully louder tone as she glanced at her hands in disbelief. It was clear she had never crossed paths with a Seeker. 

"He..took it. He took it all." The Nevarran stated, realizing it herself, "He has the ability to not only control lyrium but to destroy every trace of it. He drained you completely." Which meant Morrigan was as defenseless as they were. 

She had never seen it for herself but heard of the technique when she was still in the order. 

The Witch seemed to have trouble accepting the concept; Cassandra doubted if she had ever been in a helpless state in her entire life. She would pity her if it weren't for Trevelyan's immediate danger. What the hell was taking Varric and Sera so long ? It appeared that the Inquisitor was growing tired and her opponent was getting faster as though his arms weren't moving at all ! 

Trevelyan decided to use what she had around her..which was smutty literature. She opted to throw books and broken pieces of wood at him to buy herself some time. Again, Cassandra was struck with her need to help her. She was her friend and everyone's only hope to defeat Corypheus to regain order in Thedas ! 

"Andraste guide me !" She prayed as she ran into the fray and grabbed a promising silver candle-stick holder that laid on the floor. It was better than nothing ! 

While the assassin was distracted with Trevelyan trying to apply some distance between them, Cassandra lifted the candle-stick high above her head and slammed it against their opponent's shoulder in attempts to cripple at least one of his arms. A duelist relied on the full use and agility of their limbs and severing one of them would increase their survival. The force caused him to stagger to the side without so much as a grunt of discomfort; the impact should have done SOMETHING for his body didn't appear to have adequate armor to soften it. He was either stronger than he looked OR his tolerance for pain was substantial. 

"No, Cassandra !" Trevelyan warned her; she probably had concerns about her lack of speed to deflect a retaliation from a seasoned duelist but the Nevarran didn't care. She couldn't let her die !

"Shut-up !" Cassandra snapped as she swung the candle-stick at the assassin's side. 

He caught it by blocking it with his right dagger as if her strength didn't matter. Maker's ghost, he had the training to challenge brute strength just as Trevelyan did ! Cassandra tried to push harder but the angle of his blade and his arm in a locked position prevented her to land a favorable blow. His left blade shifted which suggested he was going to use the opening to stab her.

"NO !" Trevelyan yelled, throwing books at his chest to distort his next movement. She, then, grabbed one of the thick jagged splinters that remained sticking out of her back and pulled it out with a yelp and charged at him while she raised it high in the air, "Your fight is with ME !" 

"No, Adrienne !" Cassandra protested.

There was no arguing with the Inquisitor's loyalties and care she had for all of her friends and peers. When it came right down to it, she would rather throw herself upon a spike than to forsake anybody. The tactic worked for the cloaked intruder shoved the candle-stick out of the way and elbowed Cassandra in the gut to eliminate her proximity while he met the wooden spike just before it landed into his neck by slicing it in half with a left swing.

He attempted to kick her with his boot but Trevelyan kicked it out of the way with her left leg and tried to disarm him again by grabbing his right wrist (indicating that she suspected he was right-handed) before he tried to insert his dagger into her collar. Cassandra recovered from his sucker-punch and decided to take a different approach by crippling his lower extremities. She gripped the candle-stick as she remained squatting, carefully watching the placement of his feet as he continued meeting Trevelyan's defensive methods. If he could get closer then she'll smash the FUCK out of a foot even if it kills her ! 

"So THIS is what it comes down to, eh ?" Trevelyan hollered at him as he continued to fail to deliver a single cut. It seemed she had a better perception to determine his patterns before he formulates them- which was a technique Cassandra had seen before when they shared the battlefield with numerous foes. Some that witnessed her skills on the field claimed it was magic..but that was Trevelyan; she was a natural. She was an expert that could identify every opponent's weakness and strength at short notice because she trained herself to analyze the vaguest of details with speed and coordination that Cassandra could only WISH for. 

He remained silent as he twirled his daggers again while he moved his arms in a strange pattern as if to misdirect her tracking on purpose. He went forward, trying to pin her against a corner so her movements would be restricted. The bastard was just as clever. Corypheus must had found him within the Seekers of Truth and harvested his potential with little interest in the rest of the order.

Trevelyan yanked another splinter out from her back. Blood lightly sprayed on the ground from the puncture wound that remained. " Let's say you kill me. What then ? My other friends are coming and you'll be slaughtered just on principle alone. You didn't come here to die." 

It was too late to try to intimidate him but Cassandra knew better than to interrupt her. Perhaps she had a plan. 

The assassin aimed for her throat but she dipped her head to the side and buried her bloody splinter into his right forearm. He STILL didn't make a sound as he removed the nuisance as if it were a toothpick. At least the successful strike proved that Trevelyan still had the chance to win if she only had proper weapons. Where the FUCK was Varric and Sera ?

"You made a mistake continuing with your plan. You WOULD had succeeded if you blew the exits up before my friends got here. Hell, you could had waited to find a different opportunity but you proceeded anyway because you got too impatient." Trevelyan continued, "I wonder why that is."

She was BAITING him ! It had to be a clue she was trying to tell her but what was it ? Why would she be baiting him UNLESS she had some notion as to WHO he was ? 

That had to be it ! She knew who he was ! What good will THAT do for them NOW ? 

"SOMETHING must had pissed you off to be THIS stupid. Was it because I disappointed you SOMEHOW ?" 

He seemed to exhibit rigid movements the more she spoke even though he got her closer to the wall behind her. Cassandra will have to charge at him again so she could escape his web..but she was trying to hint at something that she couldn't decipher. She fuckin' hated crypticism. 

Trevelyan maintained her suave demeanor as she stared at him condescendingly. " Oh DO tell me because I can't seem to pin-point what I could have done to make you SO impulsive to put your own miserable life at risk. I had my mouth full, you see." She said with obvious sarcasm. 

Oh..

Before Cassandra could properly process what she could use from her taunting, Morrigan came forward. " Twas my innate groaning and screaming that possibly encouraged your error, perhaps ? If so, you have my apologies." She, too, employed an elaborate cloak of mockery, "Cries of ecstasy does have perplexing properties, or so I'm told."

Oh ! Trevelyan was coaxing Morrigan to antagonize him ! But WHY would that rouse his wrath at all, unless he was...

The assassin's momentum of spinning his daggers decreased, indicating that their liaison DID provoke him. He jerked his head towards Morrigan in a silent rage. They were trying to get him jealous ! 

" The blame is mine. I can hardly control my appetite with someone as deliciously tantalizing as a mage with the beauty of the Maker's mistress." Trevelyan continued the dialogue. 

The assassin's blades stopped spinning while Cassandra started to get nauseated.

"I disagree. The fault is mine for I hardly handled the pleasure of a touch SO THOROUGH to be silent." Morrigan countered.

Cassandra was fortunate she had eaten dinner HOURS ago. Their distasteful exchange turned out to be successful for the assassin temporarily suspended his pursuit towards the Inquisitor and shifted his focus towards Morrigan. He went forward as his daggers spun as if they could fly out of his hands and drill a hole in the ceiling. He seemed to have completely disregarded Cassandra for he was getting closer as he approached his new target.

The Nevarran made a mental note to buy the Witch a drink later on for her compliance. She readied her candle-stick with both hands, visualizing the amount of blunt force she will need to make a difference. 

Morrigan backed away slowly with a confident expression, " I see that you're upset but I won't apologize for the Inquisitor's tastes." She gestured her sleek nude form by slightly raising her arms in a "come hither" gesture. The killer quickened his pace as Trevelyan grabbed the heaviest book she could find on the floor.

In an simultaneous fashion, Cassandra slammed the candle-stick as hard as she could on his right foot while Trevelyan swung the heavy book on the side of his head like a club.

"RUN !" She commanded with urgency. 

The three of them sprinted out of the library and into the hall where there was more room to maneuver. It must had been the Inquisitor's plan all along- to shift the field to a wider space where the assassin couldn't corner her again. They could hear him grunt from the discomfort of their desperate attacks within the room. 

"Andraste's sweet supple ass, what the FUCK is taking you two so long ?!" Trevelyan hollered out towards the room next to the library, " My grandmother can move faster than you assholes and she has grout on her right foot !" 

"You have A LOT of stuff crammed into a couple of chests !" Varric shouted back in defense, "MOST of it is shit, why are you even keeping it ?"

"YEAH ! It's all worse than the shit Seggrit use to sell in Haven !" Sera chimed in.

"Fuck you, it's worth SOMETHING. Just grab anything and get moving ! I'm still in deep shit, guys ! Give me something to work with !" 

"Y'know....if I had bigger tits and shot magic out of my fingers, you wouldn't be talkin' to me that way !" The elf challenged back like a scorned child being scrutinized.

"I swear by the Maker I'll tell Cabot to put you BOTH on the fuckin' blacklist unless you throw us SOMETHING to defend ourselves with NOW!" Cassandra countered with the most antagonist tone she could muster to get the point across. 

The assassin slightly limped into the hallway, his posture was less confident and more ravenous which meant that his emotions were taking over. They could use that to their advantage.

Out of the shadows, three blades were tossed out onto the floor near them. One was a broadsword made out of the most standard of irons while the other two was a captain's sword and a dagger; also iron. Cassandra shot Trevelyan a dirty look of disapproval; they were going to talk about her compulsion to collect EVERY piece of shit she finds during her travels at a later time. Assuming she had to resort to arming herself with a heavy and dull two-handed blade, the Nevarran picked up the broadsword as the Inquisitor picked up the remaining two.

"I swear by Andraste, I have better quality shit than this !" Trevelyan muttered in her defense.

"BULLSHIT." Varric called out.

"Up your ass !" 

"Pay attention, you twit !" Morrigan snapped; it seemed her commanding voice suspended Trevelyan's distraction and compelled her to face her adversary; armed.

"Yes, ma'am."

Cassandra wondered if they could take HER to Adamant.

The assassin showed signs of hesitance as he realized his advantages were long gone. Trevelyan grinned cockily as she started to spin and flip the weapons in her hands as if she were showing off, "That's right..we're on EQUAL footing now, fucker !" 

Cassandra guessed she will take her position as back-up; to strike when his back is turned to weaken him. It wouldn't be the first time they employ the strategy altogether; she was just relieved Trevelyan was armed. Even if they were iron-made pieces of shit, her skill-set using them should make a difference. 

They watched as the two duelists charge at each other like a pair of predators fighting over a fresh kill. The hall echoed with vibrant sounds of metal clashing while both of their movements blurred from momentum. Deploying the techniques she often used in the past, Trevelyan soared around her opponent to try to confuse him but he kept up with her. Cassandra gripped her broadsword while skirting around their duel to determine her opportunity to strike. 

She had never seen ANYONE match the Inquisitor's stamina before. Even while she was armed, it was difficult to determine whom had the upper-hand. It made her nervous. The blotches of grey and silvers smeared around them. Occasionally, Cassandra could see them move back and forth between parries until the assassin made the mistake of miscalculating his balance, consequently stopping his speed. It was THERE that she found her opening. 

The Warrior swung her sword against him. He met it by slamming his right dagger against it to distort its path and did a black flip to escape the assault altogether.

"Son of a bitch, he's as agile as YOU !" The Nevarran grunted in frustration, which was a problem against a two-handed weapon. In many cases, speed always determines the victor when it is against brute strength. However, with a higher quality weapon and the instinct to unleash a fatal strike at the right time- she could take him down. 

"There's usually an opening behind the left knee." Trevelyan remarked to her knowingly before she did a front-flip to follow him.

She knew him more intricately than Cassandra had guessed. But who was he to her ? Why did he want to kill her ? Cassandra didn't recall Trevelyan mentioning she knew another Seeker. 

The duelists continued their dance with more passion as Cassandra ran forward to remain close for the opening. Surely he already grew familiar to their tactic and she doubted another attempt would work. They needed more distractions to steer him off course.

As if reading the same conclusion, Morrigan stomped over to the room in a huff, "Mark my words, once my power returns I shall put a hex on you BOTH to switch bodies if you continue to remain idle !"

"EEWWW ! I don't wanna be Varric- he's all hairy and gross !" Sera exclaimed.

"Women love the chest-hair ! And who the hell wants to be YOU- you're all chicken bones with NO meat and I've SEEN your teeth..what do you do, nibble on some lazurite while we're not looking ?" Varric countered with a scuff.

"I've got meat, ya' prick !"

Morrigan was practically glowing red from her impatience, "If you are not out here by the count of three then your fates are permanently sealed ! ONE-"

Varric and Sera ran out of the room carrying two basic longbows and a supply of arrows. 

"There's no need to get your panties in a...well I guess it's too late for that, yeah ?" Sera giggled as she readied her bow with a proud smirk.

"WHY do you continue to gander at my breasts like that while YOUR leader's life is at stake ?" The Witch snapped.

They seized their first arrows and started their aim. 

"Why is that such a THING with you, Morri ? Yer naked as the day you were born and you STILL get pissed if people look at you. Sounds like YOU got issues." The elf reasoned.

"I am the one with issues ? You- UGH ! Just SHOOT the damn arrows !"

"Don't worry, yer lady-love will be safe and sound if I have any'thing to say about it !"

"She's NOT my lover !"

"I sup'pose her face in yer bits was an accident, then ?"

"Sera, shut the fuck up before you make her angrier. I don't want to have your flat ass for the rest of my life !" Varric cautioned her as it appeared that he had a lock on the target. Cassandra had her doubts since the duelists were moving too fast for her to keep up with their footing. 

"My ass isn't flat !" It seemed like Sera had a lock on him as well.

But that CAN'T be..

"Shut-up and fire !" Morrigan yelled, if she had her magic- they would had been the first casualties. 

Before Cassandra could stop them because she didn't think they had an accurate aim, the archers released their first arrows. They surprisingly struck the assassin's shoulder and thigh on his right side. His grunt was muffled against the fabric of his mask. By the Maker, they actually got him !

With that, Cassandra swung her broadsword at him again. Once again he evaded the ambush by tossing himself to the side, which must had inflicted more pain from the arrows' insertion. Quickly, he cut the feathered ends of the arrows- determining that leaving them in would be less consequential to his mobility than taking them out. Perhaps he thought taking them out completely would result in too much blood loss for him to effectively continue his duel. 

"You have GOT to be kidding me !" The Nevarran growled. 

The Archers kept shooting; he evaded the arrows as he charged at Trevelyan with a new found level of urgency. He was desperate to kill her, to finish what he started. The Inquisitor met his fury with her own. As interesting as it was to watch while figuring out how to plant an successful strike, Cassandra wondered how long their fight can continue.

"Fuck's sake, why hasn't Trevs kicked his balls yet ?" Sera asked as she put another arrow to her bow's string, which meant she noticed the in-balance as well. 

"He can keep up with her." Varric said, "Well, shit. I guess it's the first time for everything."

"That's bad. Really bad. I don't know why she hasn't done that thing yet..what the hell is she waitin' for ?"

"What thing ?" Cassandra asked.

"Y'know. The thing. She sort of flies. Fancy flipping. Then stabby-wabby."

She must had been dropped on her head when she was a baby.

"Oh she's talking about the spinning blades technique..but Trevelyan calls it the 'hurricane of awesome.' " The Dwarf translated, " Yeah, it's weird she hasn't used it yet..do you think she's waiting for an opening ?"

The Spinning Blades. The Nevarran knew the method very well from watching Trevelyan use it every chance she could get when they were faced with more than one opponent. She would spin herself in a continuum and launch herself at her targets while extending her arms as if they were wings. It was always an effective maneuver to exhaust her victims before killing them. WHY hasn't she used it yet ? 

"Maybe she can't use it," Sera suggested with worry, "He might be too good."

"That is not it," Morrigan said flatly, "She is holding back."

They watched the duel progress into a continuous loop. She was right ! Her life was at stake and she was holding back ? If she knew him on a personal level then her hesitance to hurt him may be the issue ! But who was he to inspire that kind of charity from a woman that would kill someone for making fun of her obsession with elfroot ? 

Trevelyan caught his golden daggers with her mismatched weapons in a temporarily hold, "Damn it, you LOST ! Back down now before I'll be forced to kill you !" 

So it was sympathy ! In spite of his murderous intent, she preferred to spare his life ?

"You are showing amnesty for your assassin, Inquisitor ? That would be a costly mistake." Morrigan stated with warning.

"Yeah, what gives ? He's a friggin' prick ! You've killed for less !" Sera agreed, pulling back her next arrow as far as she could with the confidence of deploying a well place kill-shot.

"Hold your fire !" Their leader commanded to the archers while still holding her killer's blades away from her face.

"Of ALL the times to exercise clemency, Adrienne !" Cassandra groaned, tempted to take Sera's bow and arrow and kill the bastard herself so they could finally be done with it. "He is determined to kill you. If you won't do it- I WILL !"

Trevelyan manipulated his weapons to lower to their chest-level and then delivered a knee-kick into his gut to diminish what energy he had left for any kind of retaliation. Next, she tangled her arms around his and forced them behind his back-causing his grip on his daggers to diminish. The golden blades fell next to their feet, confirming the Inquisitor's sudden victory. It was over. 

Varric and Sera lowered their bows as their leader forced the intruder on his knees as her grip on him continued. Noting she would not have the strength to keep him contained, Cassandra raced over to them and took over- pinching the sides of his bony wrists as she plastered on an iron-clad grip on him while he still showed signs of a struggle. 

"Thank the Maker." The Warrior muttered as she turned her head to her friend, "You have a terrible habit of-" Her statement quickly faded when she noticed a deep cut across Trevelyan's torso- just below the collar bone. Her stomach knotted in alarm, "You're hurt !"

Trevelyan looked down to administer the wound as if she hadn't felt its effects yet, "Well, look at that..that's going to be a bitch to stitch up." 

"You could be poisoned, Inquisitor, we need to get you to the healers right away !" 

"I'm alright, Cassandra." She said calmly, kicking away the assassin's daggers further away from their owner, "It's Dragonbane poison and I have been dosing myself with the antidote."

The shrouded stranger grunted with a mixture of surprise and amusement as everyone glared at the Inquisitor for more of an explanation.

"You..KNEW the assassin was coming for you ?" 

"Not with absolute certainty but I had a feeling I was being followed by someone other than one of Leliana's watchers since my return from Orlais." 

"Why the hell didn't you say some'thing then ?" Sera barked at her.

"I sort-of did." With that, she squatted down to the assassin's level, " You will face judgement, that is the best I will do for you. For old time's sake."

Before anyone could inquire who he was, the ground shook again as sounds of crumbling rock followed. They turned to see the entrance's cave-in being removed by a dynamic and rapid force. It was clear that magic was the culprit. 

"That's gotta be Dorian and Vivienne." Varric deduced, " They must had heard the blast after all."

Trevelyan pursed her lips as she digested the statement, "Wait. Dorian AND Vivienne ?"

The piles of rubble exploded into a frenzy of debris and violent winds whose force caused them to fly backwards. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It makes you wonder how the hell the Inquisition gets anything done with the amount of crazy they face each day.


	16. Chapter 16

Just when Morrigan thought matters couldn't be any more daunting, she was tossed backwards by the LATE arrival of welcomed help. She was slammed into the textured wall behind her that she was fortunate enough to not have her spine snapped in half by and landed on the intolerable elf. The Witch, temporarily drained of all of her power, quickly kicked her away from her (suspecting the drunkard may touch her TOO appreciatively, despite the circumstances they were in). 

She had just about all that she could take from what was supposed to be a profitable endeavor. Not only she had been reduced to that of a whore that would relinquish all reservations for a fuckin' book but she endured the repercussions WELL past her expectations sooner than she thought. 

As if her humiliation could congeal any further, in sprinted two mages to assess what USE to be a secured scene. The Tevinter whose hygiene could rival Empress Celene's AND the incorrigible Madame De Fer of Orlais. Of course she HAD to be involved ! Why not ? It wasn't that the Witch cared about what she thinks...it's the damn piousness and condescending whims the overconfident mage communicated. Vivienne was the pinnacle representation of what a "loyal" circle mage should be according to the popular opinion of the zealots and the skittish. She became the first mage to establish political prowess in Orlesian court as well as the high-end society that would find sneezing offensive. Morrigan loathed the woman; she was persistently proud as she was tiresome. Circle mages always irritated her but Vivienne was a different phenomenon altogether; HOW could a mage believe magic should be treated like a disease to be contained and trained like a slave, she will never know. They seldom exchanged pleasantries when Morrigan was accepted into Empress Celene's circle but it was well known to every solicitor of the court that Vivienne was livid that an apostate "raised in the mud-swamps'' became the new favorite. The bitch thought apostates should be chained and forced into their Harrowing OR to be immediately made tranquil if they are proven to be too "disagreeable." It's a wonder HOW she puts herself in a high esteem while having a disgust for magic at the same time. She seemed to be a paradoxical individual in high-heels. 

The intruders examined the scene with astonishment, no doubt analyzing the confusion of the scene. 

Morrigan took note that the killer was temporarily unconscious from the explosion of rubble; buried by a pile of debris and dust. At least that was SOMETHING beneficial from the haphazard entrance. She could hardly believe Vivienne exercised such a lack of refinement which resembled that of a novice. Unfortunately the unintentional success came with its consequences; the Inquisitor was also unconscious from a traumatic fall. The robust woman warrior by the name of Cassandra, immediately recovered from her toss that slammed her against a wall and ran to Trevelyan to inspect her, “You-You fools ! Look what you've done !”

"I had told you to desist, I had things well at hand !” The Magister snorted at Vivienne.

“Your manipulation is so transparent, my dear, TRY to salvage some etiquette.” She could only retort as she assessed the scene again with a critical eye. 

Morrigan shuddered; it was coming. If only they were distracted enough so she could go back into the library to retrieve Flemeth’s grimoire from the Inquisitor’s pants that she had left behind and leave. The most damnable thing of it all is that it is a few steps away. Vivienne inspected the stranger cloaked in black and drew to her own conclusions (not that it would take a half-wit to assume what had transpired).

“I thought security had been too relaxed since the return from Haramshiral.” She said with perfect poise as if she had expected someone to tell her she was right. 

If only she still had her magic or ANY meager amount of lyrium to replenish herself with then the Witch could be done with the exchange with her prize in tow...but it would be too much to ask for her humiliation to end. 

“I think she’s still alive but..,” Cassandra muttered as she attempted to feel for their leader’s pulse. 

“Why is she naked ?” The Magister asked the obvious question though the display hardly affected him at all. Trevelyan hardly seemed like the sort to exercise modesty on all fronts.

It was then that Morrigan felt Vivienne’s snarky glare upon her, “My dear Morrigan..I see your reputation precedes you from your time as Empress Celene’s pet. I take it you missed the leash so much that you conspired to gain a new one. I would congratulate your predictable political standards but you found yourself in a pitiable mess, even for one such as you.”

The ridiculous elf brushed herself off as faint clouds of powder circulated around her, “Ohhhhh ! That’s what that leash shite was for ! She giggled and looked at Morrigan as if she were proud of her, “You gotta tell me how that’s done over a pint sometime, yeah ? I mean, you don’t seem like the sort that likes tough love but what the hell do I know..”

Before the Witch could utilize her rage to tell her to shut the fuck up and give Vivienne what for because she didn’t have the tolerance to endure one more humiliation, they heard the sounds of rocks scraping on the floor. They shifted their gaze over at the assassin as he sat up.

“What’s it going to take to keep the bastard down ?” The dwarf grunted as he and the elf scrambled to relocate their bows. 

Cassandra quickly pulled Trevelyan’s body away from him, “Did you two send for the guards ? We need support !”

“Support ? We’re all the support you need !” The Tevinter said with certainty. 

As entertaining it would be to watch them both be reduced to helpless well-dressed sacks of flesh, Morrigan decided to take the opportunity to proceed with her plan that kept falling apart and piecing itself back together. She scooted herself towards the entry of the library while the assassin managed to grab one of his missing daggers and limped towards Trevelyan. Cassandra stood between them even though she had lost her weapon during her fall with defiance, “You’re going to have to go through me first !”

“Stand aside,” Vivienne ordered as her palms resonated with what Morrigan can assume to be a frost spell. 

“Wait, he’s-” 

Morrigan entered the library just as she overheard a snap of the fingers. The mages were rendered useless quicker than she thought. She searched for the pile of clothes that were covered with debris of books and broken wood, she had to earn SOMETHING from this nightmare. 

“W-what the hell ? My power, it’s gone !” She heard the Tevinter proclaim. If only she could witness Vivienne’s greater devastation but she had to find the book.

Morrigan dug through a scattered pile of books where she last recalled her and the Inquisitor disrobing. 

“I tried to tell you ! He has the ability to eliminate all traces of lyrium !” Cassandra huffed, out of all the fools- Morrigan could sympathize with her continuing frustrations. 

“A Seeker ? Perhaps Corypheus is responsible.” Vivienne theorized.

“Hey Vivy, what’s it like feelin’ useless now ? It’s gotta be a slap in the ass, innit ?” The elf roared with a laugh.

“Damn it, Sera, be serious ! Shoot him !” Cassandra demanded desperately. 

Their new situation only relied on the archers now since everyone else was unarmed and Trevelyan was unconscious. The Witch found the Inquisitor’s dirtied shirt with relief, she was getting closer as she heard the unmistakable sounds of arrows darting at their target. Throwing the shirt aside, she found the pants where the desired book laid on top of them with specks of dust on the cover. 

“Damn it, he’s doing the flippy-floppy thing !” The elf groaned.

So he was mobile enough to maintain his acrobatics ? The man had to be well trained and fortified to be able to withstand the few injuries he had accumulated so far. One might assume red lyrium may have enhanced his stamina but she sensed no such addition from the beginning. 

“What the hell kind of aim was that ?” Cassandra cried out in her anguish. 

“Says the woman that couldn’t land a decent strike with a stupid iron broadsword !” The dwarf countered, “ We were just slammed into hard rock a moment ago thanks to our mage experts, at least we can still hold a bow !”

“Yeah, my arm hurts !” The elf added.

“For fuck’s sake, since when did you two need a pat on the shoulder for encouragement ?” The Magister said. 

She heard sounds of rocks being thrown as acts of desperation to peg the enemy. She picked up the book with anticipation that she would feel her mother’s magic protecting it but she felt nothing. 

“No..” She murmured to herself as her hopes were once again mercilessly dashed. 

“Dorian, move Trevelyan out of the way quickly !” Cassandra commanded. 

Morrigan wiped off the residue off of the cover and read the title, “How to Care for Your Mabari Friend.” She threw it aside with a violent scuff of disappointment. Determining her course so far it was foolish to think there would be any reprisal. The Witch clenched her teeth as she tried to look for her clothes so at the very least she could cover her shame. 

“Is THAT how you carry an injured comrade in battle, Dorian ? Like hauling a sack of potatoes ?” Vivienne commented as the sounds of dragging a body across concrete continued. Morrigan could picture the snob examining her nails as she recited her “expert” advice. 

By the sounds of it, they were still throwing rocks and shooting arrows without success. She couldn’t find her robes as the entire ordeal grew more ridiculous. She wanted to set the entire castle on fire. 

“I don’t know, Madame Vivienne, is THIS how you keep your comrade from getting killed ? By delivering bitchy critiques while the rest of us are doing the work ?” The Magister snapped back.

“Rip her a new one, Dory !” 

“Confound it !” Morrigan screeched as her impatience flared. Not only did she fail with retrieving Flemeth’s grimoire but she found herself in an endless spectacle. She was so angry that she had half of mind to simply leave and allow the idiots to sort out the mess themselves while she disembowels the Inquisitor’s chambers one more time for the fuckin’ book ! Judging by the collective sounds of grunts and labored groans of frustrations, the Inquisition's supposed team of “professionals” will LIKELY get Trevelyan killed. The woman had the overwhelming ability to attract stupidity in all forms but she was needed for what’s to come; otherwise, she would be tempted to kill her just on principle. 

Morrigan gave up on her scavenger search in a room full of smut and returned to the doorway to inspect the scene. The Tevinter was pulling Trevelyan by her arms as he dragged her out of harm’s way while the assassin used his acrobatics to avoid the projectiles of rocks and arrows. Vivienne seemed to be the only one that saw the ridiculousness of it and resorted to stay a distance away as if she were formulating an opportunity to offer her aid. WHAT could the woman be capable of without her magic ? Morrigan doubted she could repair a simple hang-nail. 

Suddenly, one of the arrows that the assassin dodged, landed into Trevelyan’s right forearm. 

“Oh FUCK !” The elf exclaimed in dismay to indicate her guilt. 

“SERA ! What the hell is wrong with you!?” Dorian cried out as he laid Trevelyan flat on the floor to examine the wound.

“That’s it, I’m cutting you off from Cabot’s reserves !” Cassandra groaned as she threw a heavy rock at the intruder. 

“B-But it’s not MY fault ! Dory moved Trevs too close in our line of fire !”

“You SHOT her and you’re blaming me ?” The Magister snorted as he touched the feathered end of the arrow that stuck out from Trevelyan’s arm.

“What is her condition ?” Cassandra continued as she sprinted to another pile of rocks as the dwarf seemed to improve on his archery. He decided to begin to aim at the assassin’s feet- manipulating his direction to lead further away from his target. 

“It’s bleeding but not by much. I think it missed the bone at least.”

“Leave it in then !” Cassandra threw her next ammunition at the assailant; the woman was stronger than she looked to be able to throw heavy masses with such force. 

The assassin grunted as he jumped and kicked the rock’s projection at Trevelyan where it landed on her stomach. The body involuntarily buckled upwards from the impact. 

“Maker’s balls, no more rocks !” the dwarf declared as the Tevinter quickly removed the rock off of their leader’s stomach and inspected the red imprint it left behind on her skin. 

“Damn it, that wasn’t my fault !” Cassandra panicked, “ I had just enough of this !” With that, the burly woman sprinted forward in a full-out charge. 

It was like watching one of the slap-stick comedies that Celene would organize for her “less” dignified guests that drank their liquor like gluttonous swine. They had the manners of barbarians but the coin of kings; unfortunately, they had to be welcomed to keep Orlais’s economy well stocked with potential investors and merchants. Their entertainment consisted of two things; plays that involved nonsensical violence that satisfied their wits of a ten year old AND naked women dancing. 

Morrigan looked down on the ground and found the assassin’s other golden dagger laying near her feet. 

Cassandra charged at her opponent and used one hand to hold up his arm that held his only weapon while using the other to clamp around his throat. The archers ceased firing as she used her brute strength to try to disarm him by twisting his wrist but he continued to try to overcome it by aiming the dagger straight into her neck. 

“How the frig is he outlasting Cassie ?” Sera squawked in bewilderment. 

Judging by his smaller frame, she SHOULD have the advantage but they remained in purgatory of victory and defeat. Morrigan had enough of the madness and gripped the dagger tightly as she staggered behind him. Before he could turn his head to analyze what was happening, she pierced through his hand with all of her might. 

The assassin howled in pain as he dropped his last dagger- giving Cassandra the opportunity to punch him into the face. He fell backwards into another unconscious state. 

“It’s over. Thank the Maker.” The weary warrior said with a breath of relief. 

“That was brilliant, Morri !” Sera chimed, tossing aside her bow.

“Do NOT call me that !” The Witch snapped.

“It would be wise to get the healers, Trevelyan doesn’t look too good,” The dwarf said.

“Wait, wait, wait !” The elf commanded for attention even though none of them moved yet, “We gotta do something to help out Morri before Hair-boy and his soldiers come in.” With the most serious expression, she started pulling down her strangely ink-stained leggings, “ We all gotta get naked !” 

A moment of silence passed before her audience realized she was quite serious.

“Maybe you hit your head too hard, Buttercup, or maybe not hard enough...how the hell is that going to help Morrigan ?” The Dwarf finally asked. 

“Think about it, yeah ? If Hair-boy is comin’, so is Cloaky Daggers with a stick up her arse. She’s going to freak the fuck out when she sees ‘em both naked ! If we all take our clothes off then she won’t go after the tight-ass.” The elf reasoned as she had difficulty peeling the fabric off of her long lanky legs. She proceeded to her shirt.

Cassandra rubbed her temples with an impatient grunt, “First of all, Sera, you are still very drunk. Secondly, what would explain ALL of us being naked ? The assassin wasn’t a mage.”

“He was realllllly good with his daggers, yeah ? Sliced us all up good, ripped all of our clothes off like a looney ! Look, it’s stupid but is getting naked better than havin’ Cloaky bustin’ her tits and going after Morri ? I mean she doesn’t have any magic right now..she’ll carve her up for sure !” 

It would be a cold day in hell before Morrigan would ever permit the Bard to rule over her in any shape or form. Before she could just leave the infernal scene, which would solve the issue of inspiring Leliana’s jealousy altogether, the dwarf began to untie the strings to his shirt after little consideration. 

“Are you serious, Varric ? What part of this makes sense to you ?” Cassandra protested.

“She’s right, Seeker. The Spymaster has been off the walls crazy lately and you KNOW it. Trevelyan is our friend, we’ve been through a lot together and the least we can do is suffer a little humiliation if it means to protect her girlfriend from harm.” 

“We’re NOT lovers !” Morrigan objected fervently but it seemed neither of the twits were willing to listen for they continued to disrobe as if they were doing her a great service. 

“What he said ! Plus, Cloaky is scary when she’s pissed. Just today, she kicked Bull’s ass and made that THING, Cole, cry ! The second bit was funny but who the hell just grabs Bull’s balls like that ?” The elf added.

The Qunari and the foul entity she had spoken with earlier ? Her scouts were quick to report her movements and she was desperate enough to pick up the trail on her own.

Cassandra opened her mouth and then closed it as she ardently considered what they were saying. Then she looked down at her leather armor and hesitantly reached for the strings that would loosen her chest-piece, “What did she want from Iron Bull and Cole ?” 

Morrigan shuddered to think if the thing upstairs mentioned anything about the grimoire, if he had then it would explain the Bard’s lengthy absence. What if she had acquired the book already ? 

“What do you think ? It was allllll about Morri and what she was doing...where she was pissing..shite like that !” 

“Son of a…” Cassandra sighed, pulling on the strings of her chest-piece to loosen it,”The energy it takes for the damage control around here could be used towards defeating Coryphesus ! I can’t believe I’m doing this for the Inquisitor’s sake.”

“Yeah, I’m not happy about it either. I’d appreciate it if NO ONE asks about the small bald spot I have on my back. I’m sensitive about it.” The dwarf snorted as he pulled down his pants. 

“Dory and Vivvy, you better get naked before they come !” Sera ordered. 

As expected, the great Vivienne was not amused. “Absolutely not.”

“What’s the matter, got something ugly underneath there ?”

“Evidently, Madame Vivienne’s loyalties can only go so far.” The Tevinter mage said with an air of superiority, “I will GLADLY take my clothes off for Trevelyan, platonically of course.” He, then, proceeded to unfasten the clasps on his pants, “THAT kind of enthusiasm is precisely what you need for Adamant.”

“Fine, Dorian, you have my permission to come with us to Adamant,” Cassandra sighed with an eye roll, “Lady Vivienne, it is best if you leave and tell the guards that you heard something. The Inquisitor still requires medical attention.”

“Ha ! It seems the better mage won !” The Magister quibbed as he took off his pants. 

“Yes, Dorian, allow me to retreat and wallow in my shame,” Vivienne said sarcastically as she critically glared at the ridiculous display before her- either out of pity or contempt. “Morrigan, dear, try to skip a dessert or two in the future. The Inquisitor will thank me later.” With that, she left and she might as well have done so with a diabolical laughter. 

“Don’t listen to that old bitch, she’s just jealous.” The Tevinter scuffed. 

Morrigan soon found herself surrounded by her nude peers, perplexed why she hasn’t stormed off yet. 

“You know, we should rip up our clothes, it would make the story more believable,” The Dwarf suggested.

“Frig ! He’s right !” The elf agreed and picked up the dagger the assassin had dropped and used it to tear her fabric into ribbons. 

“What has my life become..” Cassandra could only mutter to herself as she did the same thing before throwing it over to the Magister. 

“What do YOU have to be ashamed of ?” He asked.

“Yeah, yer solid ! I thought Trevs had muscles but- WOW !” The elf remarked. 

“Stop looking at me !”

“She’s right. You have very prominent features that would make half the courts in the Imperium jealous. It’s rare for me to say so about a woman so take the damn compliment.”

Just when Morrigan thought it would be prudent for her to leave before support arrives, the elf gasped as she looked over to the Inquisitor, “Shite, does she seem a lil’ bluer ?”

They quickly ran over to the unconscious naked woman; she did have a pallid color to what used to be a healthy glow. Cassandra cursed as she dropped to her knees and placed her fingers along the side of her neck to check for a pulse. “I thought YOU said she was breathing !” She shouted at the Tevinter.

“She was...IS ! You’re doing it wrong, you need to move your hand a little lower and more to the right.” The mage retorted as he squatted next to Trevelyan’s other side with equal measure of urgency. 

The Witch wondered if her body went into shock from the overexertion; duelists can use an abundance of stamina and depending on their experience they can endure battle for a long period of time. Based on what she had seen from the Inquisitor’s sparring match with the Qunari, she doubted that could be the culprit. In that case, it may very well be that she cracked her skull from her fall. 

“I KNOW how to check for a pulse !” Cassandra protested, as she grew more worried, “I can’t feel anything and there doesn’t seem to be a trace of breath.”

“Yer doin’ it wrong, just feel her chest for a heartbeat. That’s the quickest way !” The elf instructed as she hovered over and placed her ink-stained hand upon Trevelyan’s chest.

“You can feel a pulse on the wrists,” Morrigan said, irritated that it was taking so long. If the Inquisitor should perish, so would their chances of defeating Coryphesus. 

The dwarf picked up her left hand and placed his fingers on the inside of her wrist, “I...I can’t feel anything other than my own heartbeat, are you SURE about this ?”

“No. You have to check a little lower below the palm. Like this !” The Tevinter stated as he showed him using Trevelyan’s right wrist.  
As each of them tried to detect a life-sign from their incapacitated leader in a symphony of dread, they failed to notice a crowd that had just arrived from the stairs.

“ANDRASTE'S MERCY, what are you DOING to her ?!” Exclaimed an obvious antivan accent. 

They turned to their audience which was the Ambassador and the Commander with three of his armored charges gawking at them in disbelief. From an outside perspective, the Inquisitor appeared to be at the center of an unsavory interaction within the circle of her naked colleagues- grabbing at her from all directions. One of the soldiers dropped his sword in shock. 

“What the HELL happened here ?!” The Commander demanded. 

The Spymaster took her place beside them and folded her arms as she digested the scene. Morrigan felt the atmosphere get colder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They have things well at hand.


	17. Chapter 17

Varric was at a loss for words as Leliana, the Inquisition’s Spymaster, glared at them as if they were marked for death. Sera’s plan sounded feasible but now he was not so sure. They could have let Morrigan scamper off and avoided the awkward situation altogether but of course they had to take the most complicated direction to recover from the crisis. Somehow he didn’t FEEL like they were very successful as the Spymaster did her usual, ‘fish-eyed’ investigative stare as if she were possessed. Anyone with eyes could see she was pissed and she already dedicated the majority of her assessment focusing on Morrigan as if she were the only one responsible for the shit-show. To think she would pay more attention to the unconscious stranger covered in black with a dagger sticking out of his hand or the fact that Trevelyan was injured and surrounded by her naked peers in a hilariously compromising position. No. She was FIXATED on Morrigan. 

He knew the Spymaster had a thing for Trevelyan, few women could avoid her UNcharismatic charms (Morrigan was no exception), and he noticed she had been extra attentive since she had returned from Orlais. MOST infatuated women would try to get attention by trying to spend more time with their beloved while deploying suggestive tones and gestures of gift-giving to get their message of interest across. Of course, Leliana’s method of showing that she cares was to stalk the hell out of Trevelyan by noting her every movement when she’s in Skyhold and monitoring her interaction with the people she talks to. For a time, it can be forgiven since she can’t seem to break away from her habits of a reclusive spy with an extensive network of scouts and multi-talented individuals that could infiltrate and smuggle anything to her heart’s desire. 

It became painfully obvious that Leliana had a more complicated history with the Witch of the Wilds during the Fifth Blight than the stories described by the murderous gleam of her eyes that sharpened like a recently polished scythe. 

The Seeker, noting Leliana’s ire, quickly stood up to steer the course to calmer waters, “There has been an attempt on the Inquisitor’s life, she requires medical attention !” Though her request was sound, her audience had difficulty administering the severity of the situation due to her nudity. 

“B-But WHY is everyone naked ?” Curly asked, regaining SOME of his composure with the evidence of his reddened face. Varric doubted he could handle a dancer or two, let alone, THIS. 

“He sliced us up GOOD, he did ! Asshole was almost better than Trevs !” Sera chimed in as she straightened and put her hands on her hips as if she were still clothed. The woman lacked modesty as she did vocabulary. 

They were already losing the momentum as Leliana kept her sights on Morrigan who stood a distance apart from the rest of them, “Why are you HERE, Morrigan ?”

Maker’s ass, she didn’t even waste any time.

“She tried to help us !” The Seeker claimed, grasping at anything to try to make their half-ass plan work. 

Leliana clearly analyzed the components of the scene and drew to the conclusion that hardly anything went well, “Wouldn’t magic be enough of an advantage against a ‘supposed’ duelist ?” 

She went into full “interrogation” mode, which meant they were properly fucked over a basin unless they tried to remain calm and counter her every speculation. Varric wasn’t an expert on subterfuge and the manipulative games that they play in Orlais (at least to the Spymaster’s standards) but he understood a patronizing tone when he heard one. Hell, he dealt with Aveline for years in Kirkwall. 

“It usually would but the bastard had the ability to get rid of magic. Cassandra said he could have been a Seeker.” Varric said carefully, determining how far the Spymaster was from her target. 

“It’s true. He was able to eliminate all traces of lyrium. I was reduced to that of a half-wit the moment I tried to dislodge him off of Trevelyan.” Dorian added with yet another one of his adaptive fibs to stroke his ego. At least he was being a good team player. 

“Is that true, Cassandra ? Did this perpetrator take away Morrigan and Dorian’s magic ?” Leliana asked calmly, though she did well to put up an act of neutrality- she was chipping away at their confidence on purpose. Not only did she humor them by conferring to the “Seeker Expert” but she was also testing the Neverran’s resolve. They worked together as the left and right hands of the belated Divine in the past so she must have a bullshit detector by now. 

“It is. Can’t we talk about this later ? The Inquisitor is still unconscious and the assassin must be escorted to the dungeons before he wakes up !” The Seeker urged, hoping the circumstances would distract her enough to concede.

Before Curly and Ruffles could make the arrangements, the Spymaster raised her arm to block them from coming forward, “No one moves.” 

He wished he still wore his pants so he could piss himself with SOME decency. 

Josephine pursed her lips as she found her friend’s suspicion out of hand, “Is this an appropriate time, Leliana ? The Inquisitor is in a dismal state !”

Unfortunately her reasonable plea was muted as Leliana noted the patterns of debris and rocks that scattered the length of the hallway, “It appears a series of bombs had gone off to purposely seal the exit. Can someone explain to me WHEN that transpired ?”

She wanted the full story right then and there. Varric cleared his throat, assigning himself to take the lead and open the biggest bag of bullshit he had in his stock, “I’ll tell you what happened, Spymaster. We were in the Hall playing a few rounds of Wicked Grace and saw Trevelyan go to her “not so secret” place earlier. We were about to send someone over to invite her to a game-”

“-I find it difficult to believe Morrigan is the type for social interaction like playing cards.” Leliana interrupted, already branding his delivery bullshit. 

“She isn’t. She happened to swing by to ask about Adamant and who else was going since word about Blackwall already got around. We told her we didn’t know shit and that’s when we heard sounds of a struggle coming from Ruffles’s office. We raced over to see if Trevelyan got too drunk to use stairs again and found her going head-to-head with the assassin.” He continued, the only way to defeat the Spymaster’s bullshit detector was to be consistent with the story with confidence. 

Leliana inspected the unconscious man dressed in black and the dagger that stuck out of his hand, “I see. Apparently you had enough time for Sera to ass-ink Josephine’s fireplace on your way over here. The ink is still drying.”

The Seeker palmed her forehead so hard that it produced a loud slap throughout the hallway. He was on a sinking ship as a naked elf with ink stains across her ass and hands snickered. 

The few soldiers behind a very crossed Josephine chuckled among themselves, muttering that the ambassador got “ass-inked good."

“That will take HOURS to wash out and I will have to reschedule ALL of my meetings because of it ! Also, how DARE you ! Your pranks have gone too far this time, Sera !” Josephine declared with the fury of a well-mannered antivan diplomat.

“You know how Buttercup can be and I’m not her damn babysitter.” He shrugged, hoping to survive Leliana’s first counter. “Anyway, we all jumped in to help her but the bastard was too clever and we were armed with only some of Trevelyan’s shitty weapons she had stored in here like a fuckin’ idiot. After Dorian and Morrigan lost their magic, he set off the bombs and trapped us all in here like cattle in line for the slaughterhouse. He moved FAST in his duel against Trevelyan that it was difficult to get a strike at him while we tried to defend her with our only exit blocked. He sliced off the only protection we had piece by piece as if he were enjoying the torment- trying to get Trevelyan to come at him stupid. It worked, he managed to cut her.”

“And that’s when Vivienne found out what was going on and removed the rubble with her magic and went to get help ?” Curly asked. 

“After Trevelyan was able to knock him out. Yeah. That’s about the sum of it. You know, I think she passed out from the cut which means that the daggers he used were poisoned. If I were you, I’d send for the healers to remedy her and that bastard over there, if you want him alive for questioning.” He wanted to wrap it up quicker so the Spymaster wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about how many holes she can poke through his story.

“He’s right, we need to send for someone now. It’s a miracle this ended in more favorable terms.” Josephine insisted, “Has anyone else been injured ?”

“Actually, I think I landed on my arm kinda’ funny.” Sera admitted, “Must be a strain, don’t think anythin’ is broken but you never know.”

“I’m not talking to you.” 

“Enough !” The Spymaster snapped that caused Cullen and his soldiers to flinch. She went over to Trevelyan and looked at her naked and beaten up body, “The cut doesn’t appear too deep but there is a discoloration to the flesh that is familiar. Dragonbane poison. I am very familiar with it, it can be used in small doses to paralyze someone for hours but too much of it can cause a slow and painful death.”

“Maker’s ghost ! Then we need to get her help !” Cullen said.

“She is not poisoned, the incision of the cut would have turned purple by now, which can only mean she ingested the antidote to counter Dragonbane at least a few days ahead of time. Adrienne knew she was being followed.”

“She did seem to know him when they fought,” Varric agreed but he knew she was leading him on to assume her suspicions were satisfied. The woman could rule Thedas with her manipulation tactics. 

“Your story appears consistent to Adrienne’s injuries. I see that she was shot by friendly fire due to the restrictive surroundings and sight.” She said, noting her forearm.

“Varric did it.” Sera announced.

“And here, it seems she had suffered a large brunt force into her stomach which is troublesome. The assassin did well to strike there to gain advantage, any number of internal injuries could have penalized her overall coordination from the pain.” She pointed at the large swelling circumference that the Seeker caused a moment ago. 

“Are we really going to stand here and watch the Inquisitor’s health deteriorate ? Just get to the damn point, Leliana !” Cassandra snapped as she kept her arms folded over her breasts as IF that would somehow reserve any modesty. He doubted Trevelyan would ever get her to hang out with them at the Herald’s Rest after this mess and she can kiss that sweet betting pool goodbye. 

Ignoring another reasonable request, Leliana returned her focus to the Witch, “Is that the sum of it, Morrigan ?”

She was definitely getting somewhere.

“No. We were clearly in the middle of a blood ritual sacrifice, Bard.” Morrigan retorted; she was either clever to masque her fear of what she was up against OR too irritated to care. 

“It must have been a hardship to be trapped down here. I do smell the lingering components of black-powder smoke from the bombs. The assassin must have had more than enough opportunity to place them here in advance. But I smell something else that’s familiar..” She continued.

“We fucked up Trev’s bottle collection, that’s probably it.” Sera snorted, “Can we..y’know..get out of here ? I’m freezin’ my tits off !”

"No, this is the unmistakable scent of a woman,” Leliana said.

And it went into a weirder direction than he thought. He mentally slapped himself to keep going. “It’s not OUR business to know what the hell Trevelyan does down here by herself with a library full of porn.”

“A library full of…b-but it’s near MY office ! I entertain dignitaries and ambassadors there !” Ruffles said with a horrified look. It wasn’t a good day for her either. 

“I suppose that is true. The Inquisitor does take her privacy time seriously. The assassin will have much to answer for once we interrogate him. It seems like everything is his doing. Including the bruising and blemishes along Morrigan’s chest and thighs.” The Spymaster finalized.

It was all over. 

“Run for it, Morri !” Sera grunted; it was surprising how kind she was being towards Morrigan lately. 

The mage wouldn’t budge a muscle, unchallenged by the most frightening side of the Spymaster they had ever seen to date.

“Leliana, spare me the dramatics of a pubescent fool.” The woman throatily retorted, “Even while your precious Inquisitor suffers-from what I can guess is a head concussion- you INSIST to nurse your ego. If you wish to challenge me while I am at my most vulnerable state then so be it but the blood is on your hands should the only hope to defeat Corypheus dies.” 

Trevelyan surely knows how to pick them. Varric backed away as he nodded his head at the Seeker to DO something.

“Leliana, she’s right. We really should-” Before Cassandra could even grab her shoulder, Leliana side-stepped and marched forward as she started pulling out something from her belt. 

“THAT is not your most vulnerable state by a long shot. The undeserving sense of your arrogance is evidence enough.” Instead of pulling out what the audience suspected was one of her notorious poisoned daggers, it was a black book. She held it up at her with an all-knowing glare.

Morrigan was stunned and speechless. 

“NOW you are at your most vulnerable. I KNEW you were up to something. You cozied up to Adrienne just to get to another one of your mother’s grimoires ! You have not changed at all, have you ? You will subject yourself to seducing anyone that puts their trust on you to increase your power just like you had done with Mooneyes !” Leliana declared as her sense of righteousness transformed into old resentment. No one would dare move.

“I DID NOT seduce Mooneyes !” the Witch of the Wilds protested. 

“You might as well have ! She did everything for you including getting the stupid book that almost had her killed ! And what did you do to repay her kindness, hm ? You abandoned her when she needed you the most ! She would still be alive if you had helped us and you KNOW it. The guilt has been eating away at you all these years while you lied and cheated your way into the Empire’s inner circle. This was why you joined the Inquisition, at first; to satisfy your guilt but that ended as soon as you learned there was another book. You are heartless as you are transparent, Morrigan.” She waited for her adversary to respond with another mildly interested retort but the Witch said nothing. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue, Witch ?”

“No but I certainly had the Inquisitor’s. Since our acquaintanceship has metastasized to the point of you obsessing over how I might feel and think. I feel strangely refreshed after the entire ordeal. Sharing the Inquisitor’s bed wasn’t as burdensome as I had expected..you should give it some thought, if I were you.” 

Before anyone had enough sense to see where it was going-the two women were on each other like a pair feuding brontos. The Spymaster grabbed Morrigan’s shoulders and wrestled her to the ground as her opponent grabbed the sides of her head by ripping away her hood and grabbing chunks of her red hair. 

“Damn it, get them off of eachother !” Dorian groaned in annoyance as he and Cassandra tried to pull the two apart. 

“Well ? Are you just going to stand there, Commander ? Help them !” Josephine urged Cullen with urgency.

The poor man was tongue-tied and his men behind him looked as though they would rather endure enemas than to involve themselves in a naked domestic disturbance involving Skyhold’s most intimidating personalities. 

Chaos continued as the Seeker failed to pry Leliana off of Morrigan and the three wrestled to the floor. The poor attempt ended her right on the bottom of the pile, grabbing the Witch by the waist and trying to kick and push Leliana that was on top trying to attack her with her fists. It was something that reminded him of Hawke and Isabella’s drunken brawls which gave him terrible nostalgia for the good old days. If only they were here now, they would throw themselves into the mix just for the opportunity and Daisy would be somewhere nearby in complete confusion. 

“Damn it ! Frick ! Piss !” Sera said in her grace as she resorted to trying to help Cassandra by grabbing Leliana from behind and pulling her off of them. At least her heart was in the right place and she had bigger balls than Cullen’s men but she was woefully out-matched against the Spymaster. Leliana elbowed her in the gut, causing her to fall back. 

“Do something, Dorian !” Varric yelled at him who was at a loss.

“Are you serious, man ? She’s armed. What about you ?”

“With my height restrictions and the severe lack of clothing in that mess, I think I would be more useful on the sidelines.”

“I understand completely. You know, Varric, a spectacle like this is completely wasted on me. Bull is going to be crushed when he hears about this. “

To their surprise, Trevelyan suddenly sat up with a few coughs- regaining her consciousness by rubbing her eyes and moving around her neck to loosen sore muscles. Before she could administer her sorry condition, her attention went directly to the unholy skiirmish, “Andraste’s sagging ass, what the hell ?” She got up on her feet with a few grunts of discomfort, “Why the fuck are you guys just watching them ?” She marched over to the fray while pulling out the arrow in her forearm like the bad-ass that she was.

“Leliana, what is the matter with you ? Stop this !” The Inquisitor demanded as she fearlessly wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her off Morrigan and Cassandra, giving the victims room to return to their footing.  
  
Still enthralled with her rage, the Spymaster continued trying to break away from Trevelyan’s hold, “Mooneyes would have..she could..”

“Her death was her own doing, blaming me for it will not bring her back. I offered her a chance to survive and she refused. It was her right, even if it was stubborn and impractical.” Morrigan ascertained as Cassandra tried to pull her away from her. “I did all that I could, seeing that she wouldn’t listen to reason, I left.”

“A chance to survive ? That’s what you two talked about that night ? I find that hard to believe, why wouldn’t Mooneyes take the chance to survive ? She loved her life and had hopes to restore the Grey Warden Order in Ferelden while giving her people land to re-establish their culture. She would take any measurements she could to make sure to accomplish those dreams.” 

“The cost was high. That is all I will say on the matter. Even the fat fool, Alistair, agreed when I spoke with him but Mooneyes refused even HIS council about it. There was nothing we could have done to change her mind. I don’t think Mooneyes would have had it any other way..she was the most stubborn elf I ever had the misfortune of knowing.” 

“Alistair KNEW about this the entire time ?” Leliana immediately gathered and nothing else, “You’re lying ! He would have told me !”

“Look at yourself, you’re reactionary ! Of course he wouldn’t tell you. None of this matters now, Mooneyes is dead. She was our friend and she died. Accept it, you crazy bitch, and move on with your life. Replacing one obsession with ANOTHER isn't helping you.” 

“So it went from one love-triangle to another ?” Dorian asked Varric, now more entertained of the juicy dialogue. “This is the kind of stuff that should be in your books, Varric.”

He had to admit it was an enticing idea.

“Love-triangle ? How long have I been out ?” Trevelyan pondered out-loud as she successfully pried the two apart by holding the Spymaster tight against her and Cassandra had Morrigan with her arms locked behind her.

“Holy Maker !” Shouted an unexpected woman wearing a nightgown that a grandmother should wear. She pushed herself up front and examined the scene with disgust and anger; Varric realized it was Trevelyan’s sister, Emilia. 

Trevelyan froze in her position, “Emilia..this isn’t..” 

“You can’t help yourself, can you ? It’s the same as it was back then ! You need HELP !” Her sister shouted at her. 

“It’s not what it looks like- what the fuck do you mean I need help ? I was an adult and it was consensual !” Trevelyan snapped at her with the posturing of a complete jack-ass, letting go of Leliana and taking her place in front of her with the full might of her pride.

“It wasn’t consensual for a sixteen-year-old to be in bed with NOT one but TWO of my best maids. You were too young to be throwing yourself into the lifestyle of a common trallop !”

“Says the woman that would find a kiss on the hand provocative. It’s completely normal for women that age to have some fun !”

“You were strung up on the bedposts like a slab of dead livestock ready to be processed ! You were out of control THEN and you’re out of control NOW !” Emilia raised her voice louder, as she pounded on her chest. “Maker only knows what kind of obscene perversions you submit to your colleagues, even during these most crucial of times !”

“I’m very fuckin’ professional, Emilia.” Trevelyan scowled as she folded her arms proudly over her breasts. Her arrow wound still bled. “You’re just catching me at a really bad time. Not that it would matter either way since you never hesitate to suspect the worst of me without trying to understand me as a person.”

“We could continue this conversation at a later time, Ladies,” Ruffles tried to interject.

“What’s there to understand ? You’re clearly caught in the middle of a..what do they call it..” Emilia paused.

“Orgy,” Sera suggested.

“Shut-up, Sera !” Trevelyan grunted, “You know what your problem is, Emilia, you think anyone that isn’t you is a blasphemer or a harlot- you’re a narcissist ! You relished in the fact that you punished me for YOUR short-comings by telling our father on me. That shit hurt ! Things have never been the same since then..”

“It’s MY fault ? You made whores of the family’s female staff that cost us hundreds of sovereigns to keep half of their mouths shut ! You have caused great shame to the Trevelyan house with your disgusting urges and vices. You had stolen from the estate’s reserves and drank yourself sick in the gardens and no one was doing anything about it ! I had to do something but it’s clear you continue to lack perspective even while the world depends on you to protect it. I apologize for nothing !” 

“I lack perspective ? I’m saving the damn world, if that’s not perspective than kiss my ass ! What of you ? You’re still dry and crusty like a biscuit that probably gets the shivers just imaging a man shaving. Like my Commander. I saw the way you eye-humped the lad, hypocrite.” 

Varric would be surprised if he didn’t quit his position after this by the way Cullen appeared as though he wanted to spontaneously combust to relieve his torment. 

“I’m leaving the first thing in the morning, Adrienne.” Emilia said with finality to her words,”Maker help you. I pray you will find some clarity before you get yourself killed ! And I urge those of you that touched this walking wastebasket of a human being to see a physician, especially you, Lady Cassandra. Word has it the Chantry’s clerics are looking at you favorably as the next Divine.” 

“Why don’t you pray for something useful ? Like a personality !” Trevelyan shouted after her as her sister stomps away, “Because you’re sure as fuck going to a spinster at the rate you’re going. I guess that trip to antiva didn’t do dick !”

“You piss off, Adrienne !” Emilia shouted back as she made it to Josephine’s office.

“-no you fuck off, Emilia !” Trevelyan countered and with that, she had the last word-in. As if that would make any difference. No one knew what to say as she pretended she was overcoming a small hiccup by combing back her hair with one hand and slightly reaching for the welt that outlined her stomach, “Good woman, my sister. The truth is that she was right. I was out of control trying to fill an unsatisfying void with parents too busy admiring their pedigree than to care about their childrens’ feelings. I needed guidance, I needed someone to care enough to tell me to stop so I could stop. She saved me from myself that night, I’m just too scared to admit it to apologize.”

“Why the HELL didn’t you just tell her that, then ?” Josephine said in awe and surprise of her confession.

“Tell me what ?” Emilia called out, apparently still hearing through from the damn hall.

“That you’re a two-faced self-serving bitch !” Trevelyan fired back.

They heard a loud grunt and several footsteps carrying itself further out. In all likelihood, she was going to go pack her shit.

“You don’t know my sister. If she gets any sense that she’s right about anything, I won’t hear the end of it until I die..which MIGHT be a possibility depending on how this Coryphesus might go...so I want my last moments to have clarity that she’s suffering from a moral crisis.” Trevelyan explained, “It’s the Trevelyan way- make ‘em feel guilty. If I don’t survive, I will trust you -Cassandra- to tell her the news in person.”

“While we are getting ahead ourselves, Inquisitor, I can say with CLARITY that I will be unavailable for the task.” The Seeker refused too quickly.

“I want you to tell her she was right the entire time, I just wanted her to doubt herself for the hell of it. She might hit you but she might as well be punching a brick wall..I mean- damn, Cassandra, you look-”

“I will hit you if you finish that sentence.” The Seeker snarled. 

Trevelyan cleared her throat and switched her focus to the Spymaster, “Alright, so why the hell are the rest of you naked and what’s this I’m hearing about a three-way ?" She spotted the book that Leliana had in her belt, "Is that MY book, Leliana ?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrienne is a mess. 
> 
> I believe there's one more chapter left ! I still haven't decided what my next project will be.


	18. Chapter 18

Prioritizing the situation at last, Adrienne glared at Cullen and his men, “Take her to the dungeons at once, treat her injuries.”

Everyone’s curiosity peaked for an explanation as a pair of soldiers seized the assassin by both arms. “Her ?” Leliana repeated. “You knew who she was the entire time.” She recalled the last War Room meeting with immediate disgust for her not putting it all together in the first place, “The butcher’s daughter.”

The Inquisitor gestured the soldiers to stop and pulled the mask off of the intruder, portraying a woman with brunette hair tied up into a tight bun. “Gwenaline. I had suspicions she was after me.”

“You asked me to find her and I didn’t take it seriously. This is all my fault.” The Spymaster said with a defeated spirit. It seemed that no matter what she did, there were always consequences of her not doing enough. She allowed her distractions to misguide her as well. 

“It isn’t, Leliana, trust me. This was a long time coming.” 

“Inquisitor, you should really speak with a healer,” Josephine said.

“I will in a moment.” Adrienne inspected some of her naked comrades, “Everyone, thank you for your efforts this evening..even though it ended on a weird note. Please see medical care and go get some rest. If we have to, we will discuss the events tomorrow. Cullen, it’s late, the threat is over. Try to get some more sleep, you are leaving in the morning.”

The Commander hardly needed convincing to leave, stuttering as he excused himself and wished to have a full report of the issue before he leaves. Leliana had always found it peculiar that the man was of decent stock with good looks and yet he falters around women like a teenage boy. Due to his long list of accomplishments and his family’s sturdy reputation, he could go far in a political career. All he needed to do was to marry a woman of nobility to strengthen his ties to her family’s homeland- be it Ferelden or Orlais. He would make a decent Lieutenant of Ferelden’s Royal Army with a recommendation to Alistair- should he desired a more stable venue after Coryphesus’s defeat. 

“Josephine, we’ll make a note to repair the damages at the next meeting. The more pressing issue is to have Gwenaline healthy enough to stand trial. I wish to deliver judgement before I leave for Adamant so the matter is finished.” Adrienne continued.

Josie nodded her head, trying not to stare at her blood clotting arrow wound on her forearm or the blood-crusted cut across her nude chest, “I will have her treated, Inquisitor...but is there anything YOU need ? You have been through a difficult ordeal.”

“I’m fine, Josephine. I will see to the healers after the others are taken care of. I wish to speak with Leliana and Morrigan for a moment.” 

It was just as well. There was an uncomfortable shift as the others left, leaving the three of them alone in Josephine’s office. Adrienne grabbed one of the Inquisition’s banners that hung above the fireplace- directly above Sera’s recent masterpiece- and tied it around her waist in a clumsy fashion of a skirt to cover some of her gender. Despite the hardships she must have endured, Adrienne moved as though her fatigue and injuries didn’t bother her which further portrayed her fortitude. 

Leliana wasn’t worried when she had found her unconscious- she had seen her in worse shape and witnessed her skillset many times when she would train with the Iron Bull. What concerned her was the stern expression on her face as she tried to organize her thoughts. 

Morrigan kept a reasonable distance away, irritated she had to prolong her uncomfortable state- folding her arms and glaring at her with a murderous gleam. Leliana had to admit, it felt GOOD to have the upper-hand even though it was reckless to provoke her wrath by clarifying that she had been out-smarted. It was ALMOST worth the least amount of effort of her intruding Adrienne’s chambers to retrieve the grimoire earlier but she knew there could only be more conflict between them. Perhaps Solas was right- she should have burned the thing to eliminate any chance of the Witch benefiting from its contents later. As soon as she replenishes her lyrium supply, Morrigan will go after her directly as long as the book is in her possession.

“Now, what the hell is going on between you two and the book I found in the Hinterlands ?” The Inquisitor finally addressed, deciding it would be more productive to get to the heart of the matter.

The Spymaster made sure she kept one hand upon the grimoire that was still tucked into her belt, hoping Adrienne would take her cautious seriously, “Adrienne, Morrigan has been after the grimoire the entire time. It was written by her mother, I only did what was necessary to keep it away from her.”

Adrienne kept the banner wrapped around her waist by holding it up with one hand as she turned to the Witch, “Flemeth is YOUR mother ?” She was more intrigued than alarmed of the circumstances; it was just what Leliana had feared. The Inquisitor may be too enchanted with Morrigan now that the bitch had sunk her claws in her like a shameless desire demon in the Fade. 

It took all of her discipline not to charge at the bitch again from the thought of her successful seduction. 

“No one is more disgusted about it than I. Tis’ true.” Morrigan decided to answer carefully, also curious where the discussion was going to lead to.

Leliana dug her fingernails into her gloves, ripping the fabric as Adrienne shifted her gaze back at her, “You two almost killed each other over a book ?”

“The book has dangerous knowledge that could increase her power or worse !” Leliana said.

“Is it such a bad thing to increase an ally’s strength ?” 

“She can’t be trusted, Adrienne; when it comes to survival, she’ll sooner leave the Inquisition than to offer help when it counts. I know from experience.” 

“You know NOTHING, Bard !” Morrigan snapped back with ferocity as she came forward.

Accepting her invitation, Leliana decreased their distance apart- noting the Witch kept glancing at Flemeth’s grimoire while her stance illustrated that she was prepared for what little combat she could maneuver. Mages may be difficult adversaries but they have a consistent weakness- close-range combat. They have little stamina when it comes to doing anything without magic and few learn swordsmanship or basic hand-to-hand combat due to their dependency of their power. Morrigan was no different and it was amusing to Leliana as she briefly fantasized what it would be like to get rid of her. It would be so easy without anyone to interrupt- and maybe Mooneyes’s soul would finally rest.

“You have no right to be here !” The Spymaster countered, feeling her face flushed in disgust as she noted just how many bruises there were on the Witch’s body, produced from Adrienne’s touch. Judging by the discoloration and patterns, some of them were older than others- which meant they had more than one encounter. Without even thinking, Leliana pulled out her dagger that was strapped around her thigh and aimed it at where she thought was Morrigan’s throat- but instead, it’s sharp tip nearly scraped against Adrienne’s collar bone. The Inquisitor got between them. 

The red-head could only freeze as Adrienne held her gaze, silently telling her to stand down with what looked to be pity. She was concerned for her ? The revelation caused her to lower her dagger; there was only one other time she had given her that look and that was in Valence when she stopped her from killing the agent sent by Grand Cleric Victoire. 

Every now and then, the Inquisitor made sure she was reminded of her own humanity, of the compassion and love she still had the capacity to hold in her heart. It seemed so long ago that she would express herself so easily, to trust and feel accepted; but it all changed when she lost Mooneyes. She carried the regret of never expressing how she felt for her Dalish friend, which made her heart colder to the point where she only focused on her work as the Left Hand. 

She had forgotten who she was as a person until she met Adrienne, another significant person in charge of returning peace to Thedas. The Spymaster had thought she was a spoiled Free Marcher with the intelligence of an adrenaline junkie that drank like Oghren but she couldn’t have been more wrong. While she was unorthodox for a woman of her rank and blood, she had shown many times how much she cared and she never surrendered from challenging Leliana’s methods, purposely forcing her to recognize her hardened outlook on everyone and everything. Whether she wanted to or not, Adrienne had an annoying habit of shoving a mirror in front of her to make her see. It eventually worked, making her think and reflect more than she had ever done during prayer. Leliana’s annoyance turned into gratitude when the weight of her consciousness returned and she started to feel things other than scorn, suspicion, and rage. She eventually learned how to sing to herself again while she worked, to admire the beauty of the world she was trying to save. Divine Justinia’s intention to “release her” touched her when she went to Valence based on the message she had sent before she died, it could have all been for nothing if it weren’t for Adrienne’s habit of imposing her own sense of virtues upon her. In many ways that she could think of NOW, she was completely different from Mooneyes..

The conclusion baffled her, prompting her to realize that she tried to protect a memory of someone she once knew, rather than the woman that stood before her. 

And she pointed her dagger at HER…

She was at a loss for words as the Inquisitor shifted her focus, “ Lady Morrigan, is this true ? Has your intentions been for the book ?”

“I… yes. There could be something useful within its contents that may benefit the Inquisition at the very least.” Morrigan said with a lofty sigh, relieved yet irritated that she was forced to confess. If she had her way, Leliana was certain she would continue her cover. 

“That is bullshit !” Leliana snorted; of COURSE she would try to spin it around and make it seem like she was the martyr. 

Adrienne kept herself between them and held out her hand towards her, “Leliana, give me the book.”

Panic surged through her; perhaps she was lost from Morrigan’s charms afterall, “But, Adrienne, I-”

“-You had stolen it from underneath my bed in my chambers, it IS rightfully mine.” She insisted calmly and patiently. 

She shouldn’t have showed Morrigan anything, it would have still been safe in her care but she was careless. The thought of the Witch touching Adrienne in any way compelled her to behave like a..

Her throat ran dry as she pulled the grimoire out from underneath her belt. Her instincts told her not to as she begrudgingly handed the thing over; the power she had over Morrigan disappeared as Adrienne inspected it and handed it over to the Witch, “ There. The book is hereby Morrigan’s and I will hear no argument about it.”

She spoke as if she were a mother scolding her misbehaved children.

“You’re making a very big mistake,” the Spymaster stated as Morrigan’s glow of victory enacted.

“If I am, it is MY burden to deal with the consequences.” The Inquisitor concluded as she readjusted the banner wrapped around her waist, “You have already laid down yours and I will NOT allow you to pick up another. It’s over, Leliana.” 

It was THAT easy, was it ? 

Leliana had half a mind to snatch the grimoire away from Morrigan while she still could since she had been drained of her power but it seemed the Inquisitor’s intention was not for Morrigan’s sake at all. It was for her. She was protecting her and guiding her again as if preserving her morality was worth ANY cost no matter how devastating it could be. 

“For now on, you two will stay separated from each other UNLESS supervised.” Adrienne continued, “Lady Morrigan, I appreciate your...efforts..so far within the Inquisition. I hope you find what you’re looking for and tell me if there is anything I can do to assist.”

She was dismissing her. The moment she leaves Josephine’s office, it will be over. Leliana’s chances of getting the grimoire back -while she was in a weakened state- will be annihilated. As certain as she was standing there, her former colleague will begin her assessment of Flemeth’s knowledge without letting a damn thing distract her. She COULD send the order to her people in Skyhold to search top to bottom until they find her- but they already had difficulty from before. Adrienne wouldn’t be pleased if she continued her course and her opinion surprisingly mattered more than potential depredation.

Morrigan hugged the book to her chest, impatient as she ever was; she had the radiance of a little girl- eager to race to her room and play with her dolls. “I will let you know what I find, Inquisitor.” 

Leliana grinded her teeth as the Witch left the room with an OBVIOUS swing to her hips that conveyed her triumph. Bitch. She treated Adrienne like a whore from The Pearl and got what she wanted; the wounded party didn’t seem upset by it at the slightest. In fact, the Inquisitor appeared relieved the matter was over with as she turned back to her.

“Leliana, if I had known there were unresolved issues between you two, I would have considered Morrigan’s alliance more carefully.” She said, certain they were alone at last.

She was concerned rather than angry about her actions, as a caring friend would. 

The Spymaster allowed the sentiment to wash over her as her grip on the past faded again. Morrigan’s meddling DID provoke the built up resentment she had felt for her losses and heartbreak..and she was so consumed by it that she didn’t realize how quickly she had declined. 

“It’s alright. In some ways, I am glad this happened. It has been a long time and it’s time to let go.” Leliana said softly, recalling Divine Justinia’s wish from beyond the grave to release her from her years of her moral-neglect. She couldn’t be more grateful that Adrienne remembered, “I am sorry about how the way things ended with your sister.”

The Inquisitor smiled as she scratched her abdomen with her free hand-flinching from touching the enormous bruise, “Oh, her ? It’s the normal we are used to, at least for now. If I survive this ordeal, we will speak again. Hopefully by then we'll be more grown up or have another couple of years of intermittent silence. “ 

She didn’t seem troubled by it either. 

“You WILL survive, Adrienne.” Leliana insisted; she will do anything and everything to ensure that she will. 

“You have been worried about me.”

It continued to baffle her how diverse Adrienne really was. Some of the time, she resembled a willful rogue that would prefer to start a fight than to exercise her impressive skills of diplomacy. Sometimes, she was a bigger mess than Sera- drinking herself into oblivion with the least care of her welfare as she walked the battlements- jumping from edge to edge to feel the rush of danger of a potential fatal fall. Other times, she was as rational and decisive as Josie when the Inquisition needed her leadership. From what she had gathered from her background, she was just as deeply flawed and complicated as anyone- preferring to deal with her issues by handling the burdens of others rather than her own. Leliana wondered if there would be a chance for her to repay her sacrifices and selflessness by one day helping her handle her own inner demons..but who knows what they will do after Coryphesus is defeated. Would the Inquisition continue ? If so, Leliana was more than certain that her place would be by her side. 

“How can I not be ? Assuming you will succeed at Adamant, it will be another great loss for Coryphesus. He will not take another defeat so easily. I am still waiting on more reports but it’s likely he will confront you more directly.” She was still waiting to hear word from her best scouts in the Arbor Wilds, the last update suggested the ancient darkspawn had a concentration of forces looking for something. Her scouts have been following their movements in stealth to find out what. “After what had happened to Haven when you took his mages, I have no doubts that you will be in greater danger than before when his agenda becomes more desperate.” 

“I will defeat Coryphesus. With all our efforts, we will succeed.” The Inquisitor assured her tenderly. 

To her surprise, Adrienne took her right hand into her free hand, prompting her to come closer. It was the first time she had ever touched her. Even while she still wore her glove, she could still feel her hand’s warmth as it delicately massaged the sore muscles of her palm. Leliana watched her calloused fingers work, unsure where else to look since she was still naked- not that she cared for modesty. 

“But it seems your concern is more personal than it is professional.” 

“It appears I have been a poor Spymaster in a number of ways.” Leliana could only answer.

Adrienne released her hand, taking a step back to grant them a polite distance, despite the subtle tone between them. Leliana already missed her touch, “Then we need to talk about it because I am terrible when it comes to reading context clues. Perhaps over some wine without your birds hanging above us ? Just the two of us when we have time to spare, of course.”

The Spymaster felt her pulse race for a moment but quickly recovered and glared at her feet in consideration, “Adrienne, I-”

“-I’m sorry, was I being too forward ?” 

“No. I would just prefer you to ask me when you don’t have the scent of another woman on you.” 

Inquisitor Trevelyan lightly sighed as her shoulders slumped in disappointment, “Oh..well this went tragically nowhere.” 

Leliana couldn’t help but smile as she walked past her, gesturing her to follow her to the healers; she doubted Adrienne would go on her own accord- knowing her neglectful tendencies. “For now. After you have had a GOOD bath, who knows.”

______________________________________________

Morrigan made certain to shape-shift into all manners of small creatures to disguise her path to an inhabited tower of Skyhold, which took her past midnight to be able to scrounge up a dose of lyrium to return her magic to do so. She had never felt more relieved to have the certainty that her knowledge and skills were not permanently removed from her arsenal. She made note to take more caution if she should ever cross paths with a foe with “Seeker” training. 

Fortunate to earn Trevelyan’s compliancy to have possession of Flemeth’s grimoire, Morrigan wasn’t about to waste her tireless evening sleeping- not while the potential knowledge of the book’s strength pulsed in her clutch. The moment she touched it, she felt the power of the protectant seal upon it- similar to feeling the warmth of a campfire during colder climates with a sensation of relief. 

Lighting her first candle wick upon a dusty neglected table, Morrigan wasted no time as she pried open the grimoire to examine the hand-written pages, discerning it was ancient Elvhen. Flemeth must have thought using the language would further protect what knowledge she designed the paper, it was laughable that she under-estimated her determination but it was also a curiosity why she used the specific language in the first place.

No matter. Whatever Flemeth felt compelled to write down was hers to do with. After everything she has been through, it was the least reward she deserved. 

Morrigan scanned the page furiously, taking her time to decipher what she could translate from the text.

After a moment, her hands began to tremble fervorously- to the point where she simply dropped the leather book upon the table. 

“Nug liver and turnip stew ?!” She blurted in an uproar; the spit of her outburst flung against the candle- causing it’s wick to flail dramatically. 

To her horror, it wasn’t a record of power of her Mother’s that she could potentially use against her (should their paths cross again), it was a cookbook with each recipe more grotesque than the last. 

The Witch of the Wilds was never questioned how the destruction of the tower transpired the next day but the damage was so severe that the Inquisitor decided not to waste the funds to repair it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END !   
> I am very happy that I managed to finish this gem. I hope you enjoyed it !  
> I already started another little project while I try to decide which long piece I should attempt to submit first. I have three stories on paper that are very long but exciting in terms of fan-fiction glory. Mass Effect, Skyrim, and another Dragonage piece I think I spent a year on (off and on). If you have any advice, suggestions, let me hear 'em ! (avie1821@aim.com)  
> Thank you for reading and stay safe !  
> -AvidVice


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